Painful Truths
by wildbats
Summary: Greg gets some bad news and tries to push Nick out of his life for good. What will happen when Nick discovers his secret? Will Nick forgive him and choose to be by his side? Nick/Greg
1. Chapter 1

**A/N-Okay here is my brand new Nick/Greg fiction. If you have read my fics before, you know I am totally an angst writer. So expect nothing less than that from this one. This one takes place about the end of last season, so you will see Ray and Riley mentioned in it. I'll try to post a chapter a week, if my work schedule allows me to. Hope you enjoy.**

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He paced nervously across the living room floor, chewing on his bottom lip, waiting for his phone to ring, to hear news that would possibly change his life. His cell phone finally rang and he stared at who was calling. He took in a nervous breath before answering it. "Hello, Greg Sanders speaking," he said with a nervous edge to his voice.

He listened carefully to the male voice on the other end of the phone. He mumbled every so often to let him know he understood what was being told to him. He started to feel sick and this time it was because of what he was being told. The nightmare was coming true. "Thank you. I guess I will be seeing you tomorrow then. Bye."

He disconnected the call and then slumped down on the sofa, burying his head in his hands. He could not believe this was happening to him. He thought about Nick. He could not make him go through this after all that had happened in the last couple of years. Nick was still mourning the loss of Warrick. Of course only Greg knew this since he only expressed it to him, at home. Then the addition of Grissom leaving and adjusting to new team members had been very stressful on Nick. He never showed it at work but at home he let it all out.

Greg wanted to save him from the worst possible thing that could happen. But how could he do that without hurting him in someway? He sat there for a good half hour going through his emotions and figuring out a way to get Nick out of his life, to make him hate him so that the pain might be less later on.

He was broken out of his thoughts by the sound of the key in the door. He quickly flipped on the TV so Nick did not wonder why he was sitting there in silence.

Nick came in and saw his partner watching TV. "Hey, how are you feeling today?" he asked right away.

Greg looked up at him with a forced smile. "I'm fine."

Nick looked at him, slightly suspicious. "So no queasiness or pains?"  
Greg shook his head and lied, "No, I've been good. Just playing games and watching TV. How was work?" He was good at changing the topic lately.

Nick hung up his jacket on the coat rack. "It was a slow night. Worked a B&E with Ray. He still has a lot to learn. I hate having to train someone. He's not like Warrick."

Greg chewed on his bottom lip at hearing the frustration in Nick's voice. "Yeah, well give him time and he'll be fine. Remember how I was when I started out."

"Yeah but you hung around us so much and already worked in the lab, so it was different. He acts like he knows it all already but he still had a lot to learn. If Grissom was still around I bet he would not act like that," Nick said as he grabbed a bottle of water out of the refrigerator.

Greg sighed. He had heard this many times before and was growing sick of it. He had an idea suddenly to get on Nick's bad side. He got up and came at Nick. "When are you going to stop griping about Grissom and Warrick being gone?" He knew he struck a chord with him when he glared at him and slammed his water bottle down on the counter.

"What the hell is wrong with you? You miss them too," Nick yelled.

"Yeah but I do not mention them almost everyday like you do. I'm sick of it. Grissom is gone, who knows if we'll ever see him again. And Warrick, well he is dead. At least he went quickly," Greg yelled back.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean? I should be happy that he died a quick death?' Nick yelled with fire.

Greg had not realized what he said until Nick mentioned it. He felt a lump in his throat. "That's not what I meant. I just…I just," he sighed. "Damn it, Nick! I can't do this right now." He was starting to feel nauseous. He did not want him to know. He picked up his keys off the table and grabbed his coat.

"Where are you going?" Nick asked angrily.

"I need a break from us, Nick. I'm going back to my place." Greg quickly ran out the door and closed it behind him.

Nick stared at the door that Greg just went out of, totally confused as to what just happened. Greg had been acting so weird lately and it all seemed to coincide with this flu he seemed to be suffering from. Nick started thinking maybe he was just getting cabin fever from being home sick for the last few days.

He could have gone after him but he was still too angry with what he had said to him about Warrick to bother. Yes, he missed him a lot, he was his best friend even before he fell in love with Greg. He had always supported their relationship even though he found them to be an odd couple. Sometimes Nick felt that Greg was jealous of the close friendship he had with Warrick. Greg had a few friends outside of work but none were as close as Warrick and Nick were.

Maybe it was time they took a break from each other. It was these little fights that kept Nick from asking Greg to completely move in. Nick was not ready to commit completely to their relationship if Greg still had these immature bouts.

Greg drove halfway down the street before he had to pull over to throw up outside his door. When he was done retching, the pain in his stomach was severe. Tears prickled at his eyes as the pain and fear overwhelmed him. How could he do this without Nick? Was he crazy for pushing him away? Maybe he was but he loved Nick too much to put him through what was bound to happen.

After a few minutes, when the pain subsided he managed to restart the car and finish his drive home. It was not his home so much anymore, more like a storage place but he would have to get it back in living shape again. He would be living their full time soon again, once he was able to destroy Nick's faith in him. He knew one thing he could do to make Nick never forgive him and throw him out for good. Then he would be free of worrying about how Nick was going to deal with all the changes that were bound to happen. Nick would be free of having to worry. Perhaps he would find someone new to love and forget about Greg completely.

Greg just wondered if he would be able to stay away from him. He knew his mother would help him every step of the way. He had to call her and tell her the news. Once she found out, he knew she would not let him out of her sight. Perhaps he would go back to California now.

So many things he had to do in little time. It was going to be a long week before an even longer unknown length of hell began.

***

Greg was driving into work still thinking about the conversation he had with his mother prior to leaving. As he suspected she was scared for him and vowed to stay with him if he needed help. He was not able to reach his dad to let him know. Ever since his parents divorced, he had a bad relationship with his Father, but he felt he had a right to know.

He pulled into the parking garage of LVPD Crime Lab after being out sick for the last few days. He saw Nick's truck already there. He felt guilty about shutting him out of the ugly truth but it would be better this way, less suffering overall. He only hoped in the end Nick would understand and forgive him.

He walked into the lab and the first person he ran into was the one he was hoping to avoid, Nick Stokes.

"Greg, what's going on with you lately? What's going on with us?" He asked him after he ignored him as he walked past him in the locker room.

Greg opened his locker door and hid his face behind it. "I just think we need time apart. You need time to get use to the new crew and the loss of Warrick and Grissom. I'll be staying at my place for awhile."

Nick slammed his locker door shut. Greg jumped a bit and slowly closed his door. Nick was glaring at him. "This is ridiculous Greg. What's really going on?"  
Greg sighed. He did not want to start this shift like this. "Look, let's not get into this now. We'll talk at the end of our shift."

"What don't you want to tell me, Greg?" Nick asked, starting to feel suspicious.

"Later," he said finally as he pushed past Nick to leave the locker room. Greg headed straight to the restroom where he proceeded to throw up. Thankfully Nick had not followed him so he would not know he was still sick. He went to the sink after and splashed water on his face. He glanced at himself in the mirror. He was surprised Nick had not said anything about his recent weight loss. Come to think of it, Nick would have never realized he had been sick if he had not gotten sick right in front of him. He had been so consumed with work lately and dealing with being 2nd in command next to Catherine that he hardly had time for Greg. Perhaps it would be easier to put his plans into effect with the recent strain on their relationship.

He sighed heavily. He knew he better get out of there before they searched for him. He walked out ready to start what was going to be a long shift.

***

Nick could not understand why Greg did not get what he was going through. It had been hard loosing Warrick to McKeen and then loosing his mentor Grissom just to burn out. Now he had to help Catherine run the graveyard shift. He was under a lot more pressure and Greg could not seem to see that. He was glad the shift was about over. Now he would finally find out what Greg's problem was.

Greg left a note in his locker telling him he would be waiting out in the parking garage for him.

Greg was glad he was in the shadows of the lights in the parking garage. He knew he looked unwell and he did not want Nick saying anything about it. He just needed to get through this. As far as he knew he had covered all his bases. Now he just hoped Nick reacted, as he wanted him to.

Nick came striding over to him. Greg was leaning against the side of his car, looking nervous. "So are you going to tell me what is going on with you?" He asked with his arms folded over his chest.

Greg was not so sure he could go through with this now but he knew it was the best thing at the moment for Nick. He wanted to save him from dealing with the additional stress that was bound to come if they stayed together.

"You've been so busy with work lately and going to conferences, I've felt lonely. I've been, uh, spending a lot more time at the clubs and doing stuff when you're away."

Nick was suddenly looking at him in disbelief. "What are you trying to tell me Greg? You've been cheating on me?" His dark eyes bore into Greg's.

"Well, depends on your definition of cheating," he said in an unsure voice.

"You know what I mean, Greg." He carefully watched his scared expression. His anger boiled over. "You did! You slept with some guy or maybe guys! How long has this been going on?"  
Greg shifted on his feet. "About a month," he said quietly as he looked down at the ground.

Nick wanted to punch him but he refrained from the violent act. "Two and a half years and you are throwing it away just like that? Did you even think about what you were doing? How many has it been?"

Greg felt tears swim into his eyes. He hated what he was doing. If it were not for the pain he was in, he would have forgotten why he was doing it. "It's only been this one guy. He was there when I needed someone."

"So instead of talking to me about how you were feeling you just go to the next warmest body and fuck him?" Nick asked angrily.

Greg could not look at him anymore. He hung his head. "I'm sorry, Nick. I'll pack up my stuff right away and move out."

Nick was flabbergasted. "So this is it? We're over just like that? You rather be with this stranger then? You don't even want to try to fix this?"

Greg was not prepared for him to actually want to try to work out their issues. "I think we need time apart. I need time to figure out what I want."

"Well by the sound of it, it is not me anymore. I really thought you loved me? How could you do this to us?" The hurt was evident in his voice.

Greg shook his head, still not meeting his eyes. He didn't know what to say. He was not sure why he was ruining the best thing that ever happened to him.

"I'll give you two hours to get your crap out of my house without my presence there. And here at work, well, we are both professionals, but otherwise stay the hell out of my way," Nick told him.

His voice had anger but when Greg finally looked at him, he could see the hurt and betrayal. "I'm sorry, Nick. You deserve better," he told him as a tear slid down his pale cheek.

"You are right, I do." Nick turned his back on him and went to his truck.

Greg waited until he drove away before getting into his own vehicle and driving to the place he truly had called home for the last year.

As he packed up his things, he remembered the first time Nick asked him to stay with him at his place. He had been surprised because he did not think Nick would ever invite him to stay the night at first. But then it became day after day and he practically lived there. Nick had been leery of completely asking him to move in he thought because he did not want their relationship getting out. Greg kept his place up even when they did tell everyone they were together. He still liked having a space of his own to go to once in awhile to think and get away. He always had his own space since he was an only child. Now he was glad to still have his apartment since he would be living there full time again.

As he took the last box out of his stuff to his car, he looked back at Nick's house. He wondered if he would ever see it again, the chances were not too good. Someday Nick would know the truth behind all of this but more than likely not from him. He wanted it to be him more than anything but only time would tell if things would take a turn for the better.


	2. Revelations Ch 2

_A/N-Okay first I want to say thank you for all the great reviews just off of the first chapter. I hope you all keep up with it after this chapter, as this one reveals a lot but it is truly just the beginning still. There will not be a character death in this story. I find it hard to kill off my characters...they might be on the brink of death but never really die. LOL Anyway I hope you continue reading and reviewing. :)_

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A week later, Nick had managed to avoid being teamed with Greg and he was grateful. He was mostly teamed with Ray or Riley. He had seen Greg but they barely spoke to each other. Nick thought he looked like he had not been sleeping well because he had dark circles under his eyes. But then again he had not been sleeping well himself. Still he could not help and feel slightly concerned about him. He thought he had heard him in the restroom the day before throwing up again but he did not wait around to see him. He guessed he still had traces of that flu left.

The others found out that they had broken up but they did not ask why. They could tell it was not a good break up. The tension had been thick between the two of them.

Greg waited until Nick and the others had left before going into Catherine's office to talk to her.

"Come in, Greg," she said as she saw him at her door. She had noticed that he had not been looking well lately. Today he even looked a bit jaundice.

She watched him slowly take a seat and grimace. "What's going on Greg? You don't look well."

He sighed. "That's why I am here. I need to ask for a leave of absence, more like a medical leave."

She became more concerned when he mentioned the medical leave. "What's wrong?"

"First, you have to promise not to tell the others why I'm gone, especially Nick," he told her.

She seemed puzzled. "Why don't you want them to know? What's wrong with you?" She saw his eyes get watery and she became very worried.

"I've got cancer, Catherine." She gasped. "No!" He nodded his head woefully. "Yes, I have to have surgery to remove part of my intestine. Then I will have to go through chemo for a while. My doctor wants me to take it easy during that time."

"Oh Greg! I'm so sorry. What exactly do you have? What is your prognosis?"

"I have intestinal cancer. It's kind of rare. My doctor says that surgery is the first step. Then chemo is the second step. Then I have to wait and see if the cancer spreads more or not. I've been sick due to it. It's spread a little more than he likes to see, so he says we have to wait and see," he said sadly.

She shook her head in worry. "I do not believe it. Wait, is this why you broke up with Nick? You don't want him to know that you are sick? Why?"

He stared at his hands. "He's been through so much loss this year. If worse comes to worse, it will be easier for him to loose me if he has moved on."

"Greg, that has to be the stupidest thing I have ever heard you say," she told him honestly.

He lifted his sad eyes to her. "I don't want him to see me falling apart. I don't want him worrying every second about me. He would tear himself apart worrying about me. Please Catherine, do not tell him or the others. Please."

She sighed sadly. She could not argue with him in his state. "I don't agree with your decision but I will not tell them. But what do I tell them then, if I can't tell them you are sick?"  
"You can tell them that my mother isn't well and I am going home to take care of her. It's not too far from the truth, just reversing the people involved," he told her.

"So she is coming here to be with you, then?"  
"Yes, she is driving in tomorrow and staying with me."

"Does your father know?" She asked him, knowing he had a rough history with his father after he found out he was gay.

Greg looked down, hiding his disappointment. "He knows. My mom told him but he has not contacted me."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I didn't really expect him to care." His voice gave away his true feelings though as it cracked with emotion.

She came around her desk and gave him a hug. "I still think you are crazy for pushing Nick away at a time when you probably need him most but…I will keep my promise to you and not tell anyone. Just do me a favor and keep me updated. You are family to me." She told him.

"Thanks for saying that. I will," he replied sheepishly.

"I'll get you the paperwork to get filled out by your doctor for your leave. Just bring it by me tonight and I will get it processed immediately."

"I will. Thanks again, Catherine, I really appreciate it. I better go now. I have an appointment with my doctor," he said solemnly.

"I'll be praying for you. Get well, Sweetie," she said with a final hug.

He blushed a bit. "Bye Catherine. I'll keep you updated."

He went to his doctor's office. Dr. Robert Trellway was an Oncologist and specialized in the cancers of the gastrointestinal area. He was in his late 40's and reminded Greg a bit of George Clooney, which made things easier on him. He had insisted on calling him by his first name, Rob. He wanted his patients to feel as comfortable as possible around him because he knew how difficult a time it was dealing with cancer.

"How are you feeling today, Greg?" Dr. Rob asked as Greg took a seat.

"Tired, in some pain, the usual," he shrugged.

"I'm sorry. Have you been able to talk with your work to get the time off?"

"Yeah I have the paperwork here for you to fill out," he said as he handed it over.

"Good, then we can schedule your surgery soon. The sooner the better, I think." Greg just nodded.

After he finished up at his doctor's office he headed home. He was feeling exhausted and headed straight to bed. He was glad he would not have to go into work anymore. It was getting harder to keep from getting sick on the job and hardest to avoid Nick.

As he lay in bed, he realized how much he missed his presence. He missed how he used to hold him. He missed his warm embrace. He still wondered if he did the best thing in throwing him out of his life. But the damage was already done so he was going to keep with the plan. Hopefully one day Nick would find out the truth and forgive him from keeping this secret.

***

"Have you heard how Greg's mom is doing?" Nick asked Catherine casually during their dinner break. It had been 3 weeks since Greg had taken his leave of absence. Nick thought it was odd that his absence came only a week and a half after their breakup.

Catherine looked down at her food, unable to lie straight to his face. "His mother is not doing so good still, I hear."

"Hmm," he murmured. He knew his mom had to be pretty sick for him to be gone so long.

Catherine was glad he did not ask anymore about him. She did not like lying to her team about him but she was keeping her promise to him.

Her phone rang and she answered it. Nick could tell it was a new scene for them to go out to. She hung up and looked at him. "Dinner is over. We got a multiple shooting off Fremont. Grab Ray out of his little office to come with us."

It appeared to be a gang shooting, three victims in all. A crowd had formed outside the police tape. The police were holding a couple suspects off to the side. Nick was with Brass while he questioned the suspects. He was testing their hands for gunshot residue.

Gunshots suddenly rang out and everyone scattered and ducked. Brass and other uniforms started running after the person they saw shoot off the gun.

The shooter had aimed for the one suspect Nick was testing for GSR. Nick felt a sharp, stinging pain in his shoulder. He looked and realized he had been hit by one of the bullets.

Catherine and Ray came running over to Nick after the coast seemed clear from the shooter. "Nick, you've been shot!" she exclaimed as she knelt next to him.

He had his right hand over the wound in his left shoulder. "It's not that bad," he said with a grimace.

"Nonsense. You are going to the hospital immediately. More paramedics are on their way. I'll call Riley in to help us out," Catherine told him, acting in full supervisor mode.

He nodded that he would do as told. His shoulder was burning more now. He was grateful when the ambulance arrived.

He had to have surgery to remove the bullet and was required to spend overnight in the hospital. After the pain pills, that had helped him sleep the night through, had worn off the doctor double-checked on him to see how he was doing. He was given the okay to go home. Only problem was he had no way home and everyone was working so he decided to catch a cab home.

As he walked through the hospital to the lower level to catch a cab, he saw a familiar face. The older woman looked tired and worried.

"Monica? What are you doing here?" He asked the woman who he was genuinely surprised to see in Las Vegas.

She stood up upon seeing him. "Nick, my goodness, what happened to your arm?" The blond haired woman asked him, seeing his left arm in a sling.

He looked at his arm. "Oh, I was shot in the shoulder but I will be okay. I'm just getting released now. But I thought you were in California and Greg was there caring for you?" He asked the woman he knew as his ex-lover's mother. He had met her several times over the last two and a half years and had been friendly with her. Now he was curious why she was in a Vegas hospital in the waiting area.

"Oh, well I'm here for…" she paused a moment. She never agreed with what her son did in lying to Nick when he needed him the most. She decided to ask him something first. "Nick, do you still love my son?"

His suspicion deepened. "Why do you ask? What's going on?" Then realization hit him. "Wait a minute! Something is wrong with him, it's not you. It's been him all along. He told me had the flu but that is not it, is it?"

She shook her head woefully. "He's going to kill me for telling you but I feel you deserve to know the truth at this point."

Nick felt an impending doom looming in the air.

"He has cancer, Nick." She told him.

He slowly closed his eyes. "No."

She went on. "He was diagnosed over a month ago."

"Around the time he said he had cheated on me. He didn't, did he?" He asked her after he opened his eyes again.

"I don't believe he could ever cheat on you. He told you so you wouldn't have to worry about him."

He shook his head in disbelief. He made him virtually despise him because he did not want him around when he was sick. "So he's here now? How is he?" He was almost afraid to ask.

"He has gotten very sick from the chemotherapy drugs, so he was admitted to the hospital. His doctor is with him right now running some tests, so I stepped out," she informed him. She noticed he looked a little pale.

"Nick, you should sit down. You were shot. You need to take it easy." She guided him to the seat next to the one she had been sitting in.

He stared straight ahead trying to absorb everything. "How bad is he?" He asked quietly after a few moments of silence.

She sighed heavily. "They removed the infected part of his small intestine a few weeks ago. Since then he has had the chemo. He is not taking to it well, even though they have changed it up some. He's lost a lot of weight and is always feeling fatigued. In the last couple of days he's been very weak and getting sick to his stomach, even though he eats like a bird," she said solemnly.

"So you've been taking care of him all this time?" he asked her.

"Yes, I have. His father, well…." she gave him a sad smile.

Nick understood. "He still won't talk to him." She nodded sadly.

"Mrs. Sanders, you can see him now if you want to." She looked up and saw Dr. Robert Trellway approaching them.

"How is he? Is he going to be okay?" She asked him somewhat fearfully.

"I have him on an IV getting nutrients. He also has been given a blood transfusion. He's developed anemia that is why he's been so weak. We are probably going to keep him here overnight or at least until his blood cell count is better," he said.

Monica Sanders noticed the doctor looking at Nick, who was listening intently to every word. "Oh, this is Nick Stokes, Greg's um…" she was not sure if she should say ex-boyfriend or just boyfriend. "A co-worker of his," she opted for.

Dr. Robert Trellway held out his hand to shake. "Hello, what happened to you?"

Nick briefly explained to him what happened.

"Well if you two visit him, don't make it too long. He needs his sleep. I'll pop in tomorrow to check on him. Have a good evening you two."

After he walked away, Monica Sanders turned to Nick. "If you want to go see him, you can go first."

Nick was not sure he wanted to see him so soon. His emotions were all over the place now. He was angry that Greg lied to him and kept him from knowing he was sick. The stronger of his emotions though was his worry for him. After what Greg's mother told him about how he was, he was sort of scared to see him.

"Nick?" He looked at her. He guessed he had been thinking for a while with no response.

"Yeah, I want to see him," he finally decided.

"Okay, just go easy on him. He's not been coping too well with all this. I know you're probably mad at him but he's scared." Tears came to her eyes. "And so am I, especially with this latest setback."

He put his good arm around her in comfort. "I'll be easy on him. I promise. What's his room number?" She thanked him and then told him where to go.

He got up slowly and proceeded down the hospital corridor. He came up to the door and took a deep breath before opening it slowly. He thought he was prepared for Greg's appearance but he was not.

Greg lay in the bed with his eyes closed. His pallor was ashen and his face gaunt. As he walked closer to his bed, he could see some sores around his mouth and his hair looked to be thinning. He almost did not recognize him. He felt an incredible ache in his heart seeing the man he still loved looking so unwell.

He saw Greg open his tired brown eyes and suddenly the realization in them that he was there. "Hey." Nick could not come up with anything else to say to him at the moment. He felt foolish.

Greg just stared at Nick for a moment, speechless. Finally he was able to speak. "Nick, what are you doing here? And what happened to your arm?" His voice came out weak and raspy sounding.

Nick could not believe he was more worried about his shoulder than his own current state. He sat down in the chair and realized he found it hard to look at Greg for too long. "I was shot in my shoulder but I'm going to be okay. Don't worry about me."

Greg chewed on his lower lip a moment, not sure what to say, even though there were so many things to say. "So I guess you saw my mom and she told you."

Nick nodded slowly trying to keep his eyes on Greg's melancholy ones. "Yes, I ran into her in the waiting room. She spilled the beans when I sort of figured things out."

Greg looked away, his eyes beginning to tear up. "You must surely hate me for what I did."

"No, I do not hate you, Greg. I could never hate you. I'm angry that you felt I could not deal with you having cancer."

Greg's eyes glistened as he looked at Nick again. "No, it was not that. I know you. You would have wore yourself out worrying about me."

"There has to be more to it than that," Nick said to him.

"You've had so much to worry about this year already. Loosing Warrick, Grissom leaving, and then dealing with new team members." He saw that Nick was not buying all of it. "But also, I never wanted you to…to see me like this," his voice cracked with sadness as the tears started to fall.

Nick reached out with his right hand and took Greg's in it and squeezed it affectionately, tears brimming in his own eyes now. "Well, I'm seeing you now and I'm not running away, am I?"

"Not yet anyway," the cancer stricken man said quietly.

Nick brushed his thumb over the back of his hand. "Greg, I'm not going to run away. Don't you know I still love you? I wanted to get over you but I couldn't. I'm just sorry you did not think I could handle the truth."

Greg closed his eyes. He was so tired and felt horrible now that Nick was there and knew he had lied to him. He was sorry he lied now. He could see the hurt in Nick's eyes. "I'm sorry. I have made a huge mistake. I mishandled it. It's just…I was so scared and I still am. I didn't want to pull you down with me," he told him in his raspy voice. He looked at Nick again, as tears wet his cheeks.

Nick's heart was breaking for him. He hated seeing him so scared and fragile. "G, I'll get over it as long as you promise me you are doing your best to fight this and that you are going to get better."

He nodded his head sadly. "I'm trying. I am. I don't want to die yet," he cried.

Nick brushed away the tears on his cheeks with his right hand. "You're not going to die, Greggo, not while I'm around," he said, trying his best to smile.

The door opened again and his mother came in. She saw her son crying. "Is everything okay in here?" She glared accusingly at Nick.

"Hey Mom. It's okay. I'm just an emotional mess like usual after I've been pumped full of drugs," her son told her, after seeing her look at Nick.

She came over to her son and kissed his forehead. "How are you feeling, Honey?"

"I've been better," he said with a shrug.

"Well you look like you need your rest. Remember what Dr. Rob told us, Nick," she said like a mother protecting her son would.

Greg looked apologetically at Nick. "I am tired. Maybe we can talk more later."

"Sure, G. I can't go back to work for a few days and I need some rest too. I'll stop by tomorrow morning," he told him as he gave his boney hand a tight squeeze.

"I'll give you a ride home Nick just give me a moment with my son," Mrs. Sanders told him. He nodded and left them alone.

She looked with concern at her son. "Are you mad I told him?"

He wiped at his eyes with the back of his hands to clear away the tears. "No, I figured it would happen eventually. I think seeing me shocked him. I know I'm shocked when I look in the mirror at myself. I'm worried though," he told her quietly.

"What about Nick?"  
He shook his head. "No, about me having all these issues with the chemo. What if after all of this it I still have not gotten rid of the remaining cancer cells?"  
"Oh sweetie, stop thinking so negatively. You're going to get through this," she told him with a forced smile.

He lowered his doubtful eyes. "Okay, well I'm tired so…."

"Okay, I'll be going. I'll see you later on today after you get a few hours of rest. Sleep well, honey." She kissed him on the forehead again before leaving.

Greg closed his eyes. Now Nick knew the truth. He only hoped Nick would stick around because he really missed having him around and needed him. He gave away to his need for sleep.


	3. Making Amends 3

On the drive to Nick's home, Monica Sanders noticed he had hardly said a word. "Are you doing okay there, Nick?"

He stared out the window at the twilight sky. "It's just that…I want to be angry at him for lying to me but seeing him like that…so sick. I mean you tried to tell me but I just could not picture him like that," he said with heartache.

"I know, you can never really explain it right," she said softly.

"And he's so scared. It's written all over his face and in his eyes…how can I stay mad at him?" he sniffled.

"Maybe when he's better you can be angry with him, but right now he really needs support and positive thinking because he's not doing well on his own with that."

He looked over at her. "He's gonna come though this, right?" He asked her, wondering if she was not telling him everything.

She glanced over at him, fear in her eyes. "I have to believe so."

He looked back out at the darkening sky. "Yeah, we have to believe so."

Later at his place, he was flipping through the TV channels, only to find nothing interesting on. He had not slept as long as he thought he would. All he could think of was the man he loved. Yes, he knew he still loved him after everything. He had not gotten over him in those few weeks they were apart. Now knowing what he knew the love along with the fear for his health threatened to drown him. All he could picture now was his sunken cheeks and pained brown eyes.

He stood up and went into his bedroom. He opened his dresser drawer and pulled out a photo of him and Greg, arms around each other's shoulders, smiling brightly into the camera. Andrea, one of Nick's sisters had taken it when she came to visit and they went to Hoover Dam. It was one of the few he had not torn up in anger.

He ran his finger over Greg's face. He was so vibrant and beautiful. Nick shook his head from thoughts that he might lose him.

He set the photo down on top of his dresser and looked at the clock. He still had a few hours before visiting hours started at the hospital. He supposed he should go and try to get some more sleep before then.

***

Greg opened his eyes and found he was alone in his room. It was morning now he could tell by the light streaming in. He rubbed his face with his IV free right hand. He felt a bit better and hungry for a change. He flipped on the TV to catch the news. He was not too focused on it until he heard about the shootout that Nick must have been involved in. Brass was talking about what details they had on the case and that one CSI had been shot but he was going to be okay.

For a while there, Greg thought the only danger was on the job but reality hit him that there was more to worry about when he found out he had cancer. He never dreamed at his age he would get it. Dr. Rob had advised him it was very rare for someone like him to get intestinal cancer.

He heard the door open and looked over. He smiled timidly when he saw Nick at the door. He had some doubts whether he would see him again. "Hey," he said sheepishly.

Nick smiled at him as he came in. "Hey yourself. How are you feeling today? You got more color in your face today." He took a seat next to his bed; glad to see he was awake and not looking as pale as the day before.

"I feel a bit better. I'm hungry, which is good. I have not had much of an appetite lately, as you can probably tell," he shrugged.

"Are you able to eat normal foods still?" Nick asked him, curious since part of his intestine had been removed.

"Well, at this time I do have restrictions. Mostly sticking to softer types of foods or easily digestible ones. I've been having lots of soups and mashed potatoes, things like that. I'll probably get yogurt or something like oatmeal for breakfast here."

"It's better than nothing," Nick said to him.

Greg nodded and was quiet for a moment thinking. "Uh, so um, what about us?" He finally asked after avoiding the subject.

Nick looked into his cautious brown eyes. He knew Greg was aware that his choosing to lie and keep the truth from him had done damage. "You can't lie to me anymore, Greg if you want this to work. I can partially understand your reasons but I can't understand how you would push me out of your life at a time like this? I'm sorry I did not pay enough attention to you but don't you know that I would do anything for you?" He asked, trying to figure out Greg's motives.

Greg sighed and looked down. "No, none of this is your fault. I was the one who was afraid I could not handle having you worried sick about me because I know how much you care. I thought I was saving you from additional stress. I know I was wrong but so much was on my mind and all I knew back then was that I could possibly die from this and I did not want you to suffer with me," he tried explaining.

"So you still love me then? Why have you never given up your apartment for me?" Nick asked.

Greg looked at him earnestly. "Fear of committing to us only to end up apart eventually," he admitted.

"Because of your parents, right?" Nick asked.

"I guess. I mean when I was young everything seemed perfect between them. Then I became an adult and things happened. Now they are so far apart and hate each other and it is because of me." He shook his head in sadness.

Nick understood better now. He knew Greg still felt responsible for his parents divorce since they could not agree on his sexuality. Only Nick knew about these feelings. No one at work had any idea. "Greg, your father is a bigot and personally has suffered a major loss cutting you out of his life. If he can't look past who you choose to be with and see what a great human being you are, it's his fault, not yours."

A sad smile played on Greg's lips. "If only that was true. Anyway, thanks for trying to cheer me up."

"I'm trying," Nick smiled.

The sick man's face turned serious again. "I do love you. I always have. I'm sorry I messed things up between us."

Nick scooted the chair closer to the bed. He took Greg's hand in his good hand and gazed into his emotionally swirling eyes. "I love you too and I forgive you. I may not forget it but you could have done much worse, like actually cheated on me."

He shook his head. "No, I could not do that for real."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that," Nick grinned.

"Excuse me, I see you already have a visitor this morning. Are you ready to have breakfast?" Asked a pretty redheaded nurse who smiled at Nick before turning her attention to Greg.

"Yeah, I'm hungry."  
"Dr. Rob will be pleased to hear that. I'll be right back with your meal."

Greg looked at Nick. "Did you eat already?"

"Yes, I did, grabbed a bagel on the way in," he told him.

"So you won't mind sticking around while I eat, then?"  
He shook his head. "No, that's fine."

"So, uh, how's work been going, besides getting shot? I just saw Brass talking about that on the news," he told him.

"Yeah, well I guess I was in the wrong place at the wrong time again. You know how that goes. So Catherine knows about you, doesn't she?"  
"Yes, I had to tell her and I made her promise not to tell any of you," he said with some remorse.

"I kind of figured so much. She'll be glad that she does not have to keep it secret anymore."

Greg sucked in his lower lip and looked down. "I still rather the others did not know about it, yet."

"Why?" Nick asked exasperatedly.

"I just…I don't want everyone to pity me," he admitted.

"Well I don't agree but I also don't want you to get upset about anything else. You just need to concentrate on getting well." Nick wasn't going to push him to do something he did not want to due to his current state. He had enough to worry about.

"Thanks Nick," he smiled gratefully that he was being supportive. "I'm really glad you're here now. I'm glad you found out."

"I'm happy to be here for you. It would've been nice to be here from the start, though," he frowned.

"You're never going to let me live that down, are you?" the sick man pouted.

Nick smiled a bit now. "Not if I can try." He saw his boyfriend scowl and he had to laugh.

"You still love me though, right?" Greg asked with hopeful eyes.

"Yes, I do. I never really stopped. You're a hard person to get over." He gazed at him as he saw his face light up in relief. He still looked sickly but at least maybe some of his despair would be gone now.

The nurse came back in with his breakfast, which was made up of oatmeal, apple juice and yogurt. Nick filled him in on some of his cases while he ate his meal.

Toward the end of his meal, his mother came in. She said hello to Nick and her son and saw that overall things seemed better that morning.

They all talked until Dr. Rob came in. "Greg, I have your test results. So you want me to tell everyone here your results?"

Greg looked at Nick. "No more secrets between us." Nick nodded and smiled. He looked back at his doctor, nervously. "Go ahead."

"Okay, Well even though you are having problems with the chemotherapy, it is working. The remaining cancer cells seem to be dying off. So we are going to keep up with your current chemo schedule, but I am going to give you other meds to help fight with the issues the chemo drugs are giving you. I can tell you the blood transfusion we gave you yesterday is working. You have some color in your face again.

"I'm going to say you have to focus better on your nutrition. You are not getting enough nutrients and rest and that is why you are stuck here right now." He looked at the other two in the room. "And since you are both here, I'm counting on you two to make sure he eats. It was good to see you finish your breakfast today. Let's keep that pattern up, nausea or not," he finished up, glaring at Greg.

The patient sighed. "Fine, I'll force myself to eat."

"Not just eating. You need to get your rest. You're mother mentioned to me that you disappear for hours at a time and you come home worn out."

Nick looked cautiously at Greg, wondering what that was all about.

Greg saw Nick's look. "I…I just needed time alone to think. I was going out to Lake Mead to just breathe some fresh air and…think."

"Well you should let someone know where you go incase of an emergency," his doctor told him.

Greg hung his head. "Okay, I'll let someone know next time."

"Okay. Now I just need to run a few more tests but more than likely I can release you to go home this evening."

That brightened Greg's mood again. "Really? I can go home today?"

"Yes, most likely. I will have a nurse give you your chemo medicine today, since we skipped it yesterday."

"Okay," he replied less happy because of how it always made him feel but he knew he needed it.

"Any more questions for me? Otherwise I have to go." They all shook their heads.

Greg's mother waited until he left before speaking to her son. "Why couldn't you tell me you were going to Lake Mead?" She asked in a scolding manner.

He felt ashamed. "I figured you would end up following me if you knew. I just needed some 'me' time. I'm sorry."

"Greg, you should have told me still. You have made some poor decisions through all of this. I hope things improve now that you know your treatments are working," she said to him.

"I will. I swear I will, Mom," he promised.

"Good, you know I only want you well because I love you."

He nodded timidly. His eyes went over to see Nick's expression. He seemed a bit amused. Greg narrowed his eyes at him. Nick just smirked and said, "what she said."

The sick man groaned a little and then closed his eyes. "I'm tired now. Is it okay if I sleep some?"

"Sure sweetie. Nick and I will leave you alone for a couple of hours. Get your sleep."

He was glad when they left. He needed some of that 'me' time again. He had not really had a chance to absorb that the doctor told him that the cancer cells were dying. He was actually getting rid of the cancer. For the last few weeks he did not think he would ever hear that. Now he was getting the positive news he needed and Nick was there to share it with him. Maybe things would be okay after all.

* * *

**A/N-Well it seems like things might be okay but there is another complication in future chapters, one that should be interesting on top of all of this. Thanks for the reviews already given. Let me know what you think so far.**


	4. Going Home 4

_A/N- Thanks for the reviews again. The complication does not come until the next chapter but it might not be what you all are thinking. In the meantime, here is chapter 4._

* * *

A few hours later Nick came in to see a nurse leaving Greg's room. He smiled when Greg waved him in. He came in and took a seat. "Hey, you are doing okay?"

Greg shrugged. "She was just giving me my shots."

"You're shots?" Nick wondered.

"Yeah, my chemo comes in the form of shots. I usually administer them myself but when you're here they do them for you," he explained.

"So I hear they are setting you free at 5 pm today."

"Yes, back home. Glad I did not have to stay here too log. I was here almost two weeks due to the surgery," he told him. He gazed at Nick a few moments. Nick noticed his apprehensive look.

"What?" He asked.

"I was wondering if you were going to come over to my place once I am home," Greg said meekly.

"If you want me to I can but isn't your mom staying with you too?" Nick asked, wondering what exactly he was asking for.

"Well, yeah she is in the spare bedroom. I was just thinking for a little while anyway you could come over, but if you rather not…." He looked down at the blanket, thinking he was asking too much of Nick after he lied to him for the last month and a half.

"I'll come over. I want to spend time with you. Besides it gives your poor mom a break," he grinned.

He looked at the dark haired Texan, his eyes a little glassy now. "Yeah true, I guess. Good."

Nick smiled at him but then he noticed him grimace in some sort of pain. Greg's mouth parted a bit and he seemed to slowly be taking in breaths. He became alarmed. "Are you okay? Do you need the doctor?"  
Greg shook his head and seemed to relax more again. "No, it's just an affect of the chemo and cancer. I get these little shooting pains in my abdomen occasionally. It passes."

Nick frowned. "Oh okay. You are sure?"

"Yes, I am sure. It's nothing compared to the pain I had before the surgery."

Nick never realized he had been in so much pain back then. "Oh." He could not think of anything else to say. He still felt a bit out of touch with it all.

"I hid it really well from you then," Greg admitted to him, feeling a bit ashamed.

Nick sighed. "It's okay. I know now that's all that matters." He smiled at him and intertwined his fingers with his partner's thin, long ones.

They passed the time talking about everything but his illness until it was time for him to be released. His mother drove him home and Nick followed in his truck. Greg was quiet on the drive home. She knew he was tired again.

He went to sit down on the sofa once he was inside. His mother went to drop off his medications on the kitchen counter and then started making dinner.

Nick came in and sat in the side chair by the sofa. "Wow, I can tell your mom's living here. I've never seen this place so clean," he smirked.

Greg glared at him a moment before turning on the television. "Do you want to play some Guitar Hero?" He asked him, wanting to do something he knew he excelled at.

Nick chuckled. "Sure, so you can kick my ass, why not?"

"Are you staying for dinner then?" Mrs. Sanders asked Nick.

"If you don't mind, I got nothing better to do."

After Greg did beat Nick at a few rounds of Guitar Hero, dinner was ready. Nick watched as the younger man ate his soup but picked at his baked potato and canned pears.

"You're hardly eating again, honey," His mother said, also noticing.

He looked up at her and then at Nick and frowned. "I'm feeling queasy. I don't think I should eat anymore. I'll just end up throwing it all up anyway."

"Greg, you remember what Dr. Rob said you need to eat and not be afraid of throwing it up," his mother said.

"Fine. I will eat it but do not be surprised if I get sick later on," he moped.

Nick looked between mother and son and had a feeling this little argument had happened before. He decided to stay out of it since he was still new to the whole situation.

While his mother cleaned up, Greg headed off to his bedroom to take a shower. Nick sat in the living room, feeling rather useless, since his arm was still in a sling.

It was not until he heard some noise from the bedroom area that he jumped up. It sounded like glass breaking.

"I'll go check on him," Nick told Mrs. Sanders as he went into Greg's room. As he went in there he could hear retching coming from the bathroom. He placed his hand on the door. "Greg, are you okay? Do you need anything?" When he did not get an answer he opened the door. He was not expecting to see Greg clad in only boxers and truly seeing just how much weight he had lost. He was on his knees, bent over the toilet, breathing heavily. He could see his ribs defined by his thinness.

As Nick stepped in closer to him, Greg lifted his head to the side. "Watch out for the broken glass on the floor," he warned.

Nick looked down and saw pieces of what use to be the black rinsing glass Greg used on his sink when he brushed his teeth. Nick bent down and picked up the pieces, putting them in the trash.

Greg was no longer vomiting so he flushed the toilet. He sat back and rested again the wall. Nick could now see the scar on his lower abdomen from the surgery.

He looked up at his face, his eyes were closed and he looked pale again. Nick sat next to him. "Is it always like this?" he asked quietly, wondering how bad it really was for him.

He opened his tired eyes and looked at him. "Yeah, more often than not. Not everyday though." He noticed Nick staring at his body and suddenly wrapped his arms around him in a self-conscious manner.

Nick saw the movement and felt a sad tug at his heart. "Do you want me to leave so you can get dressed?"

Greg nodded quickly. "Okay, I'll be outside the door if you need me." Nick got up and left him alone. As he closed the door, he felt tears come to his eyes. His beautiful boyfriend looked so thin it scared him even though he knew the chemo was working. The toll it was taking on his body was heartbreaking.

He heard the door opening a few minutes later and quickly wiped at his eyes. He did not want to have Greg see him upset over him.

Greg came out dressed in pajama bottoms and a t-shirt and shuffled over to his bed, without looking at Nick. He got under the covers before he finally looked at him. "Do you want to lay next to me for a bit?" He asked, shocking Nick out of his stupor.

"Uh, sure. Let me just let your mom know everything is okay." He was shocked by the request and needed a moment.

He came back in after informing Greg's mother. "She's going to bed. She's tired. She says to tell you to sleep well."

Greg stared at Nick, who was still standing. "Do you not want to be near me?" He asked, thinking Nick was having second thoughts now about being close to him.

Nick saw the sudden sadness in his eyes and shook his head. He moved to go lay on the bed. "No, I guess I'm just surprised you asked."

"I just miss having you near by when I go to sleep and wake up," he told him as he turned on his side to look at him.

"You want me to spend the night?" Nick asked. He was not sure he was ready yet.

"No, you do not have to stay the night. I was just simply saying, you know maybe someday again." He started biting his bottom lip, feeling stupid for asking and looked down.

Nick understood him wanting to feel close to him but he was afraid to touch him. When he saw how skinny he really was he realized the seriousness of it all. "Look, why don't you just try to get some sleep? You need your rest," Nick finally said to him.

Greg looked at him and saw the resistance from him to touch him beyond his hand. "Yeah. Okay. Goodnight." He couldn't look at him anymore. He turned over to sleep faced away from him. He now realized his fears about Nick knowing about his cancer was partially coming true. He seemed to scarcely want to be close to him or touch him. It ended up hurting him more emotionally than he dared admit.

***

Nick spent an hour next to Greg before getting up quietly and leaving his place. He figured he was better sleeping in his own bed since his arm was still in a sling. He wanted to go back early though so Greg would see him in the morning.

He got to Greg's apartment and knocked on the door. His mother opened the door looking worried. "What's wrong?" He asked her immediately.

She shook her head, trying to hold back tears. "He's having a bad morning. He's in the bathroom and won't open the door for me."  
"Do you know why?" Nick asked her, wondering if he was throwing up again.

"I'm not sure. He just sometimes gets this way."

Nick wondered if it was because he was not there when he woke up. "Let me see if I can get through to him."

He walked up to the bathroom door. "Greg, it's me, Nick. Can I come in?"  
"Just leave me alone," the younger man yelled out. Nick could hear in his voice that he was upset.

"Your mom is worried about you. Let me in or I'll force my way in." Nick said firmly. He eventually heard the door unlock.

Nick opened the door slowly to see Greg sitting on the side of his tub, looking in the mirror; his face very somber. Nick tried to figure out what was up. "What's wrong?"

He just remained staring at his gaunt self in the mirror. He suddenly ran his hand through his hair and then displayed his palm full of his hair to Nick. He looked at his palm full of hair and said, "it's getting worse. Soon there will be none."

Nick knew he always prided himself on his hair and now understood why he was upset. He went over and knelt in front of him, blocking his reflection in the mirror. "It will grow back. It's just temporary."

Tears started forming in his big brown eyes. "I look hideous. You hardly even want to touch me," he cried and buried his face in his hands.

Nick felt horrible. He realized he had been hurting him more by keeping his distance from him. He knew he had to do something to make it up to him. He pulled Greg's hands away from his face and pulled his face close to him to place a tender, loving kiss on his lips. He pulled back far enough to stare into his tear-filled, shocked eyes.

"You will always be beautiful to me. I did not think you wanted me to touch you," he tried explaining.

"No," he whispered. "I need you to touch me. I want to feel like I am still alive," he said quietly.

Nick's heart ached for him. "If I did not have my one arm in a sling right now, I would hold you tight."

"How about an one armed hug, then?" Greg suggested with a tiny smile.

Nick chuckled. "Okay, I can try that." He wrapped his good arm around him and Greg gingerly laid his head on his good shoulder. Nick realized how much he missed holding the younger man. He did not think about how thin he was or how sick he was. He just though of the love he had been trying to deny for the man he now held, the love he tried to deny when he thought he had cheated on him.

"Hey, I have an idea," Nick suddenly said. He broke the embrace.

"What?" Greg asked, his eyes still shiny.

"Well, it's summer and you know how I buzz my hair off pretty much. How about we get matching hairstyles?"

Greg smiled. "Yeah, I can do that with you."

Nick was glad he found a way to make him smile and feel better about his hair loss. "The only problem is I do not trust myself to do it with one hand. Maybe we can get your mom to help us out. Do you even own clippers?"

"Yes, I do from when I shaved the sides of my head years ago. I just have to find them," Greg told him.

"Good. I'll go get your mom."

A half-hour later Nick and Greg both sported super short buzz cuts. Since Nick had worn his hair that short before it did not bother him but he noticed Greg kept running his hand over his almost baldhead.

"Dang, it's just so weird feeling hardly any hair," Greg said as he looked at his new look in the mirror.

Nick was surprised that he actually looked good with it, but of course he preferred Greg's hair longer, something to grab onto, he thought fondly. "At least you don't notice the hair loss now."

"Yeah, mostly." He turned and looked at Nick and his mother. "Is it too late for breakfast?" He asked with a slight apologetic look to his mom for his behavior earlier.

"No, it's not too late. I'll whip up some eggs for you. Nick, you want anything?"  
"Sure, scrambled is fine for me."

"Okay, I'll go make some for you boys." She left them alone in the bedroom.

Greg sat down on the side of the bed. Nick came to sit next to him. He looked at the younger man. "You feeling better now?"

Greg gave him a small smile. "A bit, thanks."

Nick raised his hand to Greg's face and caressed his cheek. "You're going to get through this, I promise." He leaned forward and pressed his lips against the chapped ones of his boyfriend. Greg parted his lips to allow the tongue probing them in. Their tongues dueled for dominance before Greg had to pull back to catch his breath.

"God, I missed you kissing me like that," he smiled.

"You would not have had to if you had told me the truth from the start," Nick said without thinking. He immediately regretted it when he saw his partner's smile fade. He had lowered his head.

"I said I was sorry," he mumbled. He stood up and started walking out of the bedroom. Nick quickly stood up and grabbed his arm. "Greg, I am sorry. I should have never said anything."

Greg turned to look at him. "No, I am glad you did. I need to face the fact that I made a huge mistake and you are not going to let me live it down. Now please let me go. I bruise easily these days." He was trying to keep his calm and not get upset in front of Nick.

Nick let go of his arm and let him walk out the door. He was not use to Greg being so sensitive with his feelings. He guessed the chemotherapy could cause a lot of the problems. Monica Sanders had told him about the various side effects it could have on him.

He walked out and saw Greg sitting at the kitchen table, sulking. He took a seat across from him and just stared at him. Greg's mother placing their plates of food in front of them broke up the stare down. They both quietly ate their food.

Monica Sanders could sense something was wrong between them but she did not want to butt in.

After they all finished eating she finally got sick of the silence between them.

"What did you two get into a fight about now?" She asked them, looking furious.

They both looked at her and then each other. Greg sighed, feeling a wave of fatigue come over him. "I got mad at Nick for no reason. He has every right to be mad at me for lying to him," he told her.

Nick was taken by surprise with what he said. "Greg, look I'm sorry. You do not need me hounding you right now; you have enough on your mind. Truce?"

Greg looked at Nick and smiled. "Truce. How about a game of Guitar Hero?"

"I'll play you but not that game. You always kick my ass. How about some Call of Duty?"

"You're on!"


	5. Complications 5

_A/N-Again thank you all for the great reviews. I am glad you like it so far. This chapter is a bit shorter but a lot happens in it. This chapter presents the new complication and then, well, one of the reasons this story is rated M. ;)_

* * *

Almost a week had gone by. Greg had been happier now that Nick was back in his life. Plus he was not as sick as he had been. The most he and Nick did was kiss, which still disappointed Greg, but he did not question Nick about it.

Nick's arm was out of the sling and healing well enough for him to return to work. He usually stopped by after work to see Greg. He spent most of his time there, even though it was smaller than his home. But since Greg's mom was still around and she needed to look after him, it was the choice Nick made.

Greg's mom was taking a shower after she made an early breakfast for him. He tended to wake up earlier lately. He was helping put the dishes away when her cell phone rang. He decided to answer it for her. He picked up the phone, not recognizing the phone number.

"Hello?" He asked as he answered it.

"Uh, Greg. Is your mother around?" The voice surprised Greg when he heard it.

"Gee Dad. No, how are you doing? Are you going to live? Nothing," Greg responded with a tone of anger. He heard a pause on the other end.

"Look, I just need to speak to your Mother a moment. I don't want to get into anything with you," his father sighed over the phone.

"Get into what, Dad? Don't want to talk to me about having cancer? Can't talk to your gay son? Afraid I might be contagious?" He yelled suddenly, releasing his long time pent up anger and feeling towards his estranged father.

"You don't want to do this Greg," his father warned him.

"Yes I do. Tell me how much of a disappointment I am to you."

"Greg, did you ever think that maybe your cancer is punishment for the kind of lifestyle you live? Maybe it's nature's way of punishing you."

Greg was stunned that his father would think that and it hurt more than he imagined. "You really hate me, don't you?" he said in a surprisingly timid voice, tears springing to his eyes suddenly.

"Honey? What's wrong? Who's that on the phone?" Monica Sanders came out after hearing her son's yelling. She came out and saw him on the verge of tears. She took the phone out of his hand.

"Who's this?"

"Monica, it's Dan. I needed to…"

"What the hell did you say to him? What do you want from us? Do you have any idea what he has been through? He does not need your shit too," she yelled at him, cutting him off.

"Look, I never meant to hurt him. I made a mistake. I'll call back later." He quickly hung up.

She furiously threw the phone down on the counter. She turned to look at her son who was shaking and silently sobbing.

"Oh honey, what did he say to you this time?" He just shook his head. He did not want to talk about it.

She could see he did not want to talk about it. "Come on, why don't you lay down for awhile?" She walked with him to his bedroom where he laid down and curled up on his side.

"Can I get you anything?" she asked him. Again he just shook his head.

"Okay, well if you need anything let me know," she told him. She kissed him on his forehead. "I love you, son."

She stepped out of his bedroom and wanted to shred her ex-husband to pieces for hurting Greg with his words. When she tried calling him back, he did not answer. She left an extremely rude and angry message on his voice mail.

A couple of hours later Nick came by after a long shift at work. He had his own key again to Greg's place. When he walked in, Greg's mom immediately came up to him. She seemed upset.

"Oh I am so happy you are here. Maybe you can get him to talk," she said rapidly to him.

"What's going on?" He asked, getting concerned.

"His lousy father called and said something to him. Ever since then he's been curled up in his bed and won't say anything. I have not been able to get back in touch with his father to see what he said to him," she informed him.

"I'll go check on him. You look beat, why don't you get some sleep?" he told her.

"You're a doll, Nick. I think I'll do that. Take care of him," she said, feeling a bit calmer now that he was there.

"I will." He walked into Greg's room and saw him lying with his back towards him. He sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Hey, I hear you had some words with your father." He laid his hand on Greg's shoulder. When Greg shrugged it off he knew something was really wrong.

He got up and came around to face him. He saw his tear stained cheeks and his big browns so filled with hurt. He knelt down in front of him. "Baby, what did he say to you?"

Greg gazed at Nick. "He hates me. He thinks I deserve this," he sniffed. He had cried so much already, he did not think he could anymore but he was wrong.

Nick wanted to rip Mr. Sanders' throat out. How could he be so cruel to his son? He remembered how shocked he was when Greg told him how his father disowned him basically after finding out he was gay.

His own family was not happy at first but they grew to accept him. At least Greg had his mother who stood by him.

"Don't believe his nonsense. You do not deserve this."

Greg shook his head a bit. "He said I am being punished for being gay," he sobbed.

Nick clutched his hand, hating to see this eating him up. He did not need the additional stress. "No, that is foolish. People get cancer all the time, straight and gay. Don't give into his ignorance."

"Do you think I deserve this?" His eyes were so incredibly sad it tore Nick up.

"No, never and you're getting better. Don't let him stop you. You've come too far now," he told him as he choked up.

Greg reached his hand out and touched Nick's face. "I love you, Nicholas Stokes. You always know how to make me feel better."

Nick smiled at him. "I love you too." He moved closer and kissed him.

"Where's my mom?" Greg asked him after they pulled apart.

"She's in her bedroom. She looked harried. I told her to get some sleep."

"Thanks. I've never heard her get so mad as she did today," he told him.

"Yeah, well I would love to speak my mind to him too, if I had a chance. Asshole!"

Greg smirked. He decided to sit up finally. Nick got up from the floor and sat next to him. "You better now?" Nick asked him.

"Yeah, I think so." He looked at the clock. "Damn, I forgot to do my injection."

As Greg went to get up to head to the bathroom to grab his meds, Nick stopped him. "Let me get that for you."

"Thanks," Greg said. He lifted up his shirt so he would be ready for his chemotherapy injection. Nick came back with his vial of medicine, a syringe, and a cotton ball. He had seen Greg give himself the injections a few times before.

"Take your shirt off completely," he told him. Greg raised his head in questioning. "Why?"

"Just do it," Nick said as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

Greg eyed him suspiciously because Nick had not asked him to take off his shirt since before he was sick.

Nick watched him carefully as he pulled the shirt over his head. He was still thin but he had been eating more lately and hardly throwing up, so he was starting to look a little better. "Lay back now," Nick told him.

"What's going on, Nick? I need to do my injection."

"I know. I'm going to do it for you," he smiled.

Greg laughed nervously. "Uh, I think I rather do it."

"I've watched you do it enough. I can do it. Just trust me."

"You know where to do it?" Greg asked, still feeling unsure about Nick poking him with the needle.

"Yes, now lay back." Nick commanded. He laid back and nervously watched as Nick prepared the cotton ball with rubbing alcohol.

Nick could see needle marks from previous injections and made sure to pick a new spot. He smiled when Greg's stomach flexed at the cool touch of the cotton. Next he filled the syringe properly and looked at Greg's slightly petrified face. "Are you ready?"

"I…I guess." Greg watched as he brought the needle against his abdomen. He grimaced a bit as he always did when he did it himself. He breathed shallowly as the medicine was injected in.

Nick carefully withdrew the needle and patted the spot again with the cotton ball. He looked back at Greg, who seemed more relaxed now. "That was not too bad, was it?" He asked him.

"No, but why did I have to take off my shirt completely?" Greg asked him.

Nick got a mischievous grin on his face. "Because of this." He put the syringe and vial aside and then proceeded to start kissing Greg, starting with where he just injected him.

"Ooohh," Greg groaned as Nick worked his mouth up to his nipples. He pulled at them with his teeth, making him moan more.

"Shhh, not so loud. Your mom is still here," Nick chuckled a but, thinking of the possible shock she might have if she walked in on them.

Now that Nick was finally touching him again, he was not afraid to touch back. He reached his hands under Nick's t-shirt and started pulling it off. Nick gave assistance and had it off in no time flat.

Greg greedily ran his hands over the tight abs, missing the feel of his lover. Nick suddenly took his arms and pinned them down over his head. He stared down at him as he fully straddled him now. He saw Greg pout. "No, this is all about you," he smirked and then possessively took his mouth with his. He pressed his body down, grinding against the one below him.

Greg had to murmur for him to stop a moment. "Am I hurting you?" Nick asked, feeling guilty suddenly.

"No, I just need air once in awhile. Now back to where you were," he grinned.

Nick grinned back and decided to work his mouth down his body again. His hands grabbed the waistband of Greg's pants and started pulling them down, leaving him in just his boxers. He felt his own cock straining against his tight jeans as he looked at the tented boxers on his partner.

He smiled at Greg and proceeded to tug down the one remaining article of clothing on the lithe body below him.

"Wait!" Greg said quickly before he went too far.

Nick rolled his eyes. "What now?"

"I forgot. My doctor told me my chemo could affect my semen, so it might not be a good idea for that right now. But I really want you inside of me," he said with his best innocent look that turned quickly into a smirk.

Nick smiled. "It would be my pleasure to be inside you." He stripped off the rest of his clothes and then reached over to Greg's nightstand and pulled the lube and a condom out of the drawer.

He prepared Greg by inserting one finger first and then stretching him out to two. Greg was trying to keep his noise volume to a minimum. "Now Nick, now," he moaned.

He slipped the condom over his throbbing cock and lubed up before slowly entering the tight entrance. He started at a slow pace but Greg kept thrusting against him. Nick took Greg's leaking cock in his right hand and started stroking it in rhythm with his thrusting.

Greg was trying hard to not make too much noise but he was feeling the best he had felt in a couple of months. "Nick, damn, I love you. Faster though."

Nick could tell Greg was close and so was he. They ended up coming at virtually the same time. Nick collapsed momentarily on top of Greg before pulling out and discarding the condom.

He moved and lay next to his slightly sedated partner. After a few minutes of collecting their breaths, Nick asked out of concern, "You feeling okay?" He moved to his side to look at him better.

Greg turned his head and smiled blissfully at him. "I feel pretty great, considering." He turned on his side now to face Nick. He propped his head on his arm. "You are amazing. I needed that. I've been afraid you would never really touch me, take me like that while I was still sick with the cancer," he admitted to him, setting a more serious tone.

"I'm sorry I made you think that. I guess I just think you are so fragile but now I know you are not so much so. I know after what you were told today, I needed to show you that this is right. We are right. Our love is not some sick thing. It is real and it makes us happy." He tenderly touched Greg's face. "You're beautiful, cancer or not."

A tear escaped from the big brown eyes gazing at him lovingly. He moved close and kissed him tenderly, then deepening it by placing his hand behind Nick's neck and drawing him in closer.

"I am totally in love with you, Nick," he said as he ended the kiss and stared into the older man's own teary eyes.

"I love you too, Greg. Let me clean you up and let's get some sleep. You look sleepy now," Nick said as he saw Greg yawn.

"Sounds good," the other man said as he laid back and let his partner clean him up before crawling under the covers with him and curling up into each other and falling asleep.


	6. Avoiding 6

**A/N-Sorry been busy with work. Again thanks for all the great reviews. I really appreciate you all! :)**

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Greg woke up first a few hours later. He carefully lifted up Nick's arm over him and scooted out, trying not to wake him up. He looked back at him sleeping, happy they were truly back together again.

He left the room, deciding to let him get more sleep since he worked that evening. He went into the living room and saw his mother watching television. She looked up upon hearing him. He smiled at her. "Hey Mom," he said as he sat down next to her.

She noticed he seemed happier. "Are you doing better now?" She asked, still concerned about what his father had said to him.

He nodded. "Yeah, basically."

"What exactly did your father say to you?" She wanted to know so she could rip her ex-husband's throat out.

Greg looked away. "Mom, I rather not talk about it. They're just words anyways."

"Yeah words that ripped you apart."

He got up and walked into the kitchen. "I don't want to think about it, okay?"

She did not want to upset him. "Okay, I'll let it go."

"Thanks," he said to her. He went rummaging through the refrigerator looking for something to snack on. He grabbed a bottle of water and a cup of yogurt to eat.

"So is Nick still sleeping?' She asked with a slight grin.

Greg turned around and smiled widely. "Yeah, I let him sleep longer since I get to sleep when he is not here." He went back to sit by his mom.

"So things between you two are good again?"

"Yeah, really good," he beamed.

She was so glad to see him smile like that again after the last month of never seeing it. "I'm really happy to hear that. Aren't you glad he knows now?"

"Yes, I am."

There was a knock at the door. Greg looked at his mom, wondering if she was expecting anyone. When she shook her head, he volunteered to see who it was.

He opened up the door to see Catherine smiling at him. "Hello there. I'm sorry I have not been by to see you in a while, but I was in the neighborhood and thought I would stop in. You look better than the last time I saw you."

"Thanks," he said. He let her in and she gave him a hug.

"Hello Catherine," Greg's mother said as she saw her son's boss.

"Hello Monica. So, how is your treatment coming along?" She asked him.

He filled her in on his progress with the chemotherapy.

"Well it sounds like things are going better. I just wish you would come by work and let everyone know the truth," she told him, making him feel a bit guilty.

"Maybe in another few weeks I will. I just want to make sure I am truly over the hump, you know what I mean?"

"Sure, I guess I can understand that. I'm just glad Nick knows now."

"And so am I." They all looked and saw Nick walking out from the bedroom. He had heard voices and decided to put on his pants and shirt before coming out. His eyes traveled over to Greg and smiled at him.

Greg felt his heart do a little flip-flop seeing his boyfriend smile at him like that. "I guess we woke you up, huh?"

"It's okay. I'll survive." Ever since Nick found out about Greg's cancer, he had felt somewhat disconnected from him until he made love to him. Now everything felt right again. He made his way over to him and planted a kiss on his lips in front of the two women.

Catherine cleared her throat after the display of affection. "Well, I just wanted to stop by and see how you were doing. I can see things are going well. So I will be on my way."

Greg smirked and lowered his head with slight embarrassment as Nick slinked his arm about his waist as he sat next to him.

"See you at work later on, Cath," Nick grinned.

"You too, Nicky," she said as she held back a laugh while Monica Sanders walked her out the door.

"I'm going to get the mail," Mrs. Sanders yelled out to the two men inside.

"Okay," Greg said. He felt a finger lift his chin up so he was looking into the dark, loving eyes of Nick Stokes.

"You slept okay?" The Texan asked as he brushed his thumb over his lover's chapped lips.

Greg just nodded, suddenly feeling speechless under Nick's gaze.

"That's good. I missed you being there when I woke up." The dark haired man said huskily, lust in his eyes.

"I, uh, could not sleep anymore and I thought you could use more sleep," Greg stuttered a bit. It had been a long time since Nick made him feel so wanted.

"I could use more of you," Nick whispered before latching his mouth onto Greg's again. Nick ran his hands under Greg's shirt and started pinching a nipple, which made Greg gasp into his mouth.

They heard the door open and quickly pulled apart, both blushing as Monica Sanders came back into the apartment.

"Looks like the hospital bills are coming in," she said as she came in. She did not realize what she broke up.

Greg quickly got up and grabbed some envelopes from her. He opened a bill and groaned. "If the cancer doesn't kill me, the mountain of bills will," he sighed.

"Doesn't your insurance cover some of it?" Nick asked him as he stood up and came to stand behind Greg.

"Yeah but between the surgery, the other doctors I've had to see all the chemo treatments and meds it adds up on the co-pay. And with me not working for almost two months, it's just not a good thing."

"I can try helping you out some," Nick offered.

Greg shook his head. "No, I can't have you do that. I'll manage somehow."

Nick stared at him. "Are we a couple or not?" He asked him.

Greg looked into his eyes. "Uh, we are, I think."

Nick grinned. "We are and as a couple we share each others problems, which means we share the responsibility of your bills."

Greg looked over at his mom who shrugged. He looked at Nick again. "Fine, but I don't want you pulling tons of OT because of this."

"Okay, I won't. Besides OT means more time away from you and I don't want that." He grinned.

"Good, me either," Greg said as he gazed into Nick's eyes.

"I'm going to go out for awhile. Make sure he takes his meds, Nick," Monica Sanders said with a smile before grabbing her purse and heading out the door. She had a feeling they needed some alone time.

Nick came up closer to Greg. "Have you taken your other medications yet today?"

Greg backed into the kitchen, recognizing the predatory gaze in his boyfriend's eyes. "Uh, no. Let me take them now." He turned his back to Nick and went to the pill bottles on the counter. He opened a couple up and took out his dosage and then grabbed a bottle of apple juice to take down his pills.

Once he had them down he felt strong arms wrap around his waist. Continuing what he started earlier, Nick's hands traveled under his t-shirt and started pinching his nipples.

Greg leaned back against the strong chest, moaning. He loved the feel of his hands all over him. Next he felt Nick's wet kisses littering his neck and shoulder. He could feel Nick's arousal against his ass.

"Bedroom, now," Nick growled in his ear. He walked Greg around the counter, towards the bedroom while still working his nipples into hard peaks.

They stopped at the foot of the bed, where Nick pulled off Greg's t-shirt and then his own. Greg was like putty in his hands at this point and let Nick do whatever he wanted. Nick's hand went under the waistband of the younger man's pants and heard the moan when he found his destination, semi-hard.

"Nick…" Greg breathed. Nick felt the man shudder as he wiped his thumb over the tip. Greg gasped as the hand withdrew. He then felt his pants and boxers being pushed down his legs. He stepped out of them. He was turned around to stare into the dark, lusty eyes ready to devour him.

"On your back," was the command he obeyed happily and fell back onto the bed. He laid spread out, naked for his lover to take.

Nick quickly pulled off the rest of his clothes and then pounced on top of him lightly. He rubbed his groin against his lovers'. Greg arched his back to further the contact. Nick captured the gasping mouth in his and dueled with the eager tongue.

He sat back on his knees a moment and gazed down at the man below him. His beautiful long torso, thinner than he was use to but at least he was not as bad as the first time he saw him after finding out about the cancer. A scar now cut across his lover's abdomen, along with small bruises from recent needle injections. But all those marks made Nick realize just how precious the body below him was, the life that it held.

Greg noticed Nick had been staring at him longer than usual and he became a bit self-conscious. "Nick, is everything okay?"

Nick looked into those amazing big eyes and saw a hint of insecurity. He suddenly realized what he must have been thinking. He had to quell those doubts from him immediately. "I was just thinking how lucky I am to have you here with me still. I guess I just really realized there was a chance I could have lost you forever and I just wanted to sit back and appreciate you," he said softly.

A slow smile spread over Greg's face. "There are other ways you can show your appreciation for me."

Nick chuckled. "Oh, I plan on showing you my other ways too." He laid his hand over the new scar on his lover's body. "I love you."

Greg's smile grew bigger. "I love you too, Nicky."

A while later they lay in bed together, legs tangled. Nick stared at his lover's face as he slept. The chemo drugs still wiped him out pretty quickly.

He was almost falling asleep himself when he heard Greg grunt. He saw Greg's hand go to his stomach and his eyes open. His face showed pain.

Nick sat up, alarmed. "Greg?"

Greg's pained eyes looked at him. "It'll pass," he said as he breathed carefully.

"I should take you to the hospital," Nick said quickly.

Greg reached out and grabbed Nick's arm before he got up. "That is not necessary. It happens once in awhile. You just have not been around to witness it. The chemo drugs cause pain on occasion. I'll be fine, okay?" He said looking into his frightened boyfriend's eyes.

"You sure? I mean, I didn't hurt you before?" he asked with a bit of worry.

Greg smirked at that. "No, you have nothing to do with this. Now shouldn't you get ready for work?"

The Texan still stared at him with worry. "You'll be okay?"

"Yes Nick. The pain is gone already. I'm just sleepy still. Now shoo," he told him with a sweeping motion of his hands.

"Okay, okay. I just worry about you," he explained.

"I know and I love you for it but you'll be late for work if you keep fussing over me. I have my mom for that. Now go, will you? Or do I have to push you out of the bed?" He glared with a smirk.

"Fine, fine." Nick got up and tossed his pillow at Greg, who laughed as he admired the naked backside of his boyfriend depart into the bathroom.

When Nick finished showering and dressing he came back out and saw that Greg was asleep again. He couldn't help but worry about him. He still was undergoing treatment and was not out of the woods yet. He seemed to be doing slightly better but moments like that reminded him the fight was not over yet.

He walked over and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. He did not even stir. He was sound asleep. "See you later on, G," he said before he left for work.


	7. Ugly Words 7

_A/N-Sorry I was out of town for a few days and busy the other days with work. I do have a new rather short, chapter ready for you. This one deals with some hateful language but was necessary for the point to get across. You will get a bit more insight into Greg's past (the one I created.) LOL  
_

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A couple of days went by and Nick and Greg's mother noticed he had been sleeping more again and seemed more lethargic.

Nick was pulling a double at work due to a multiple shooting case they landed. He was at the scene when his cell phone rang. He saw it was Greg's mother calling.

"Monica, what's wrong?" He asked since she rarely called him while he was on the job.

"I don't want you to worry but I had to take Greg to the hospital. He fainted in the living room this morning. Dr. Rob thinks he probably had a low blood cell count again. We'll know for sure in a bit. So he might need another blood transfusion. I just thought you should know but he should be okay. I'll keep you updated."

Nick sighed with worry. "Yes, please do. Unfortunately I have a few more hours left here and I can't leave early. Give him my love," he told her.

"I will, Nick. Bye."

Nick closed his phone and rubbed his forehead with worry. He had a feeling something was wrong with Greg again when he left for work. The last few days he seemed to have no energy and when Nick even tried making out with him, he said he did not feel like it. Nick just hoped that anemia was all it was and not that the cancer had suddenly spread. It was going to be hard for him to concentrate on work for the next few hours, but Catherine needed him right now. At least Greg had his mother there for him. He was confident she would notify him if it was worse than they thought.

A few hours later Monica Sanders was driving her son back home. He was given a blood transfusion for his anemia. The doctor said he could go home as long as he rested. Greg did not want to spend another night in the hospital. He had been very quiet the whole day. His mother was still very worried about him, even though his doctor said he should be okay.

She parked the car at his apartment complex. She looked over at him. He was still a little pale but not like he had been earlier. "You feeling well enough, honey?' She asked.

He looked at her, dark circles under his eyes. "Yeah, I just want to lay down."

"Okay, let's go then." She watched him carefully as he got out of the car and headed towards his apartment. She noticed him stop suddenly. She had been paying such close attention to him; she did not see the man waiting outside his door.

She suddenly stormed past Greg and headed straight for the tall, brown haired man standing by the door. "What the hell are you doing here?"

He looked at her briefly but then his brown eyes went back on Greg's, who stood rooted on the spot with trepidation. "I tried talking to you but we kept missing each other. Then I decided to give up."

"How dare you come here after all you said?" She yelled at him.

"I…I've thought about what I said and how I've acted. I wanted to try some sort of middle-ground peace offering. Greg?" The older man said to him with questioning.

Greg was still in shock. He had not seen this man in person in almost 11 years. "Dad," was all he said.

Monica saw her son trembling slightly. She went over to him and put her arm around him. "Let's get you inside so you can sit down." She started guiding him to the door and took the keys from his hand and unlocked the door. She ignored Daniel Sanders and helped her son inside.

Dan Sanders walked in after them. He watched as she led Greg to the couch, where he sat down to rest. His eyes fixed on those of his father's again, some anger coloring them now. "What do you want? To see if I am near death so you can be rid of your faggot son?" Greg said bitterly.

His father flinched at seeing just how much he had hurt his son. Suddenly his ex-wife was in his face again, fuming. "This boy does not need your shit right now. I just got him back from the hospital where he had to get a blood transfusion because the chemotherapy keeps killing his blood cells. But do you even care?"

He took a deep, calming breath before he would say something he would regret again. "Look I'm sorry I said those things to you about the cancer being punishment. I was wrong to say that. I truly don't believe that," he said looking past his ex to his son.

Greg shrugged. "So? You still hate me for being gay."

Mr. Sanders shook his head. "No, I don't hate you. I could never truly hate you."

Greg laughed sadly. "You could have fooled me. I've heard a lot of hate come out of your mouth."

Dan Sanders stepped forward but Monica Sanders stood like a barricade between father and son. He sighed in defeat. "I've…I've been seeing a psychologist about my feelings. I'm trying to work on it."

Monica put her hands on her hips. "Since when?"

"Since you told me about his cancer," he said.

Greg looked at him incredulously. "So did you tell this doctor about how you told me I was sick because I was gay? How did he take that, huh?"

"That's one of the reasons I am here, to try to work on this, on us."

Greg felt his emotions running high and hard to keep in control. "So what is this then? Because so far I haven't heard any sort of apology for calling me a faggot and a mortal sinner all the times you have in the past?" He could not control the tears that suddenly sprang to his eyes from the hurt he felt.

Dan Sanders looked at his son, never seeing him look as vulnerable and fragile as he did at that moment. It was as if he said the wrong thing he might shatter into a billion pieces. He was about to respond when the door opened behind him. He turned around and saw a dark haired man come running in, who went straight to Greg. He watched cautiously as the man embraced his son, who suddenly seemed to break down. He started sobbing in the other man's arms. He felt a bit awkward but tried to keep his ground.

"G, what's wrong? Bad news from the doctor?" Nick asked Greg as he held him tight through the wracking sobs. When he got there his first and only thought was Greg. He did not even see the other man in the room.

Greg shook his head and whispered in his ear. "My dad is here."

Nick turned his head and saw the man who looked like an older version of Greg. He had only seen one photo of him from when Greg was a child. He had never met the man and now he gritted his teeth at him.

He was letting go of Greg and was about to pounce on the older man when Greg caught his arm. "Don't Nick."

He turned around and looked at him. "Why shouldn't I pound him for saying such hateful things to you?" Greg's father became a bit alarmed at the anger he saw in Nick's face.

"Please Nick, for me. Just stay here by me. I want to hear what he has to say," Greg sniffled as he wiped at his eyes.

Nick wanted to pummel the guy but if Greg wanted him, he would be there for him. "Okay. I'll stay put."

"Thanks," Greg said to him and then placed a kiss on his soft lips. He quickly looked at his dad to see his reaction. He saw him flinch a bit and then look down.

"That's what I thought, still grosses you out," Greg sighed sadly.

Mr. Sanders looked into his son's large sad eyes, noticing how the cancer had taken its toll on him. "It is a work in progress, Son."

"Don't call me that. You disowned me years ago," Greg replied harshly.

Mr. Sanders lowered his head and was beginning to think this was a huge mistake coming there like that. "I'm sorry, Greg. I'm sorry for calling you all those names I called you over the last eleven years. I'm sorry I said you are no longer my son. You will always be my son." He looked up at him again. "I mean anyone can see we are father and son. I helped create you."

"Its just DNA. In my job I know that does not always mean everything," Greg said smartly.

"Up until eleven years ago I thought I was a good father to you? Wasn't I? Didn't I support you in everything you did?" Dan Sanders asked him.

"Yeah but then one day I decided to tell you the truth. Mom was supportive but you…you turned on me. You said I was disgusting and a sinner and you wanted to never see me again. I remember that day so much. Do you know how much you really hurt me? I almost drove myself off a cliff because I did not want to live anymore."

Greg's mother gasped. She had not known that. Nick held him tighter; never realizing just how hurt Greg had been at that time.

His father did not know what to say. He had no idea his son thought of killing himself. He realized just how much damage he had really done to his son.

"I …I wanted to open the door back to you by giving you your inheritance now that I took it away from you back then."

"I don't want your money," Greg scoffed at him.

"Greg, it's rightfully yours. Your Grandfather wanted you to have it. I had no right to take it away from you. When you turned 25 you should have got it. You're the only Sanders grandchild. Grandpa Sanders wanted you to have it," his father told him.

Nick had no idea about Greg's supposed inheritance either. He realized he hadn't known everything about his breakup with his father. He guessed it was too painful for him to talk about.

Greg looked at his mom with questioning of what to do. "He's right, you know. It is rightfully yours. It's one of the other reasons I divorced your father because as executor of Grandpa Sanders' Will he took that away from you. You wouldn't have to worry about your hospital bills anymore," she suggested to him.

Greg rested his head back against the back of the couch and closed his eyes. His head was beginning to spin and he felt a bit nauseous. "Okay, I'll accept it but I can't do this anymore today. I need to lay down before I get sick again." He opened his eyes and looked at his dad again. He made sure the hurt was still very evident in them.

"Okay. I'm in town for another couple of days. I have some business contacts here in town I was planning on visiting too. Can I stop by tomorrow?" His father asked.

"Fine, fine. Just go now, please if you really still care," his son told him.

"Sure, I'll let myself out." He nodded to Monica before he walked out the door.

Nick looked at Greg. "Let me take you to the bedroom so you can sleep." Greg nodded. He let Nick help him stand since he felt a bit dizzy. Nick led him into the bedroom. He helped him get out of his jeans and into bed. "I'm going to take a quick shower and then I'll be with you." Greg nodded again and then closed his eyes. He was feeling worn out and ready to sleep.

Nick wondered about this inheritance Greg never spoke of. He mostly only talked about his mother's side of the family, the infamous Papa and Nana Olaf. Come to think of it, he did not even know what his father did for a living. He knew his mother worked from home via her computer as a Medical transcriptionist. That was the one reason she was able to care for Greg. As long as she had her laptop with her she could do her work.

As he crawled into bed next to Greg, he wondered why he never asked him about his father's side of the family before.

He gazed upon his boyfriend who was all curled up, as though he was protecting himself from someone. He was sound asleep, however. Nick was glad he was off for the next 24 hours, so he could be with Greg and make sure everything would be okay.


	8. History Lesson 8

_A/N-Thanks for the reviews. I'm glad you are enjoying the twists and turns so far. Now we have a little bit of smut and then more info on Greg's family history._

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When Nick woke up later on that evening, he felt a weight on his chest. He looked down to see the closely shaved head of Greg on his chest. Greg's arm was flung across his chest also. He did not even remember him rolling over onto him. He guessed he was more tired than he thought.

Suddenly the big brown eyes were staring at him. "You're awake?" he asked him.

"Yeah, I've been awake for a few minutes now. Hope I did not wake you," Greg smiled at him.

Nick placed his hand on the back of Greg's neck and started rubbing it. "No, I'm just surprised to see you on top of me."

Greg ran his finger over Nick's left nipple, feeling a sharp intake of breath from the body under him. "Well, I felt like giving you a nice little wake up," he grinned mischievously at him. He then turned his head down and fixed his mouth on the nearest nipple, smiling to himself when he heard Nick groan.

"Uhhhh, don't you think we should talk about what happened earlier," Nick asked through teeth gritted in pleasure.

"Hmm…later," his lover said as his mouth worked on to the other nipple. His hand was busy searching for the treasure under the waistband of Nick's shorts.

"Ah…Greg," Nick breathed heavily as the treasure was found and his lover took hold of it.

Greg was suddenly shifting his whole body over Nick's, his mouth finding his way down his tight abs. Nick was arching into his hand as it worked over the leaking tip. When the contact left him, he felt disappointed but seconds later his shorts were pulled down and the incredible wet mouth engulfed him. He arched into the eager mouth.

"Damn Greg, please." He looked down and saw the mischievous glint in those eyes he could drown in. He was surprised Greg had the energy to do this but he was also plenty grateful. He placed his hand on the back of Greg's head and helped him keep the rhythm.

He knew he was close when he felt teeth just lightly graze his cock. "Greg…oh…damn," he moaned loudly as he came in his mouth.

Greg kept his mouth latched on until his cock went limp. He then grinned at him as he climbed back up his body. He kissed Nick so he could taste himself on his lover's tongue.

"Damn Greg. You just passed out earlier today and now you are blowing my brains out. How?" Greg grinned at him. "A damn good blood transfusion and some sleep was all I needed."

Nick wanted to help get Greg off but when he reached down to touch him, he got his hand batted away. "No, no need. I'm not hard," Greg told him. "Medication can do that, but I'm fine with that as long as I can still please you," he said as he stared into the Texan's deep brown eyes.

"Yeah? Okay, if you say so," he frowned, feeling a bit bad.

"I say so. " Greg replied. He rolled onto his back and looked up at the ceiling.

Nick turned on his side and propped his head up on his arm. "So how come you never told me about this inheritance you were supposed to get?"

Greg waved it off. "Why talk about something I did not think I would get?"

"Greg, what kind of inheritance are we talking about here? What did your Grandfather do?" Nick was not going to let it go.

Greg searched the ceiling, feeling awkward being asked about something he had not thought about in years. "He owned a winery among other things," he said quietly.

Nick's eyes widened in surprise. "No wonder you've always liked wine. What other things did he own?"

Greg turned his head to look at his boyfriend. "Why is it important?"

"Because I realized earlier today there is a lot I do not know about your family history," he said as he brushed his hand over Greg's cheek. "I want to know more about you."

Greg conceded. "He owned a development company. He owned several buildings in San Francisco and some in LA too. They are under various names. My dad runs the company now. My Grandfather had hoped I would follow in my dad's footsteps at one point but when my interests ran towards science and not business he gave up on those hopes."

"Did he not endorse you going into the science field then?" Nick asked, so curious about this whole new revelation about Greg's family history.

"No, I mean yes he did support me. He saw how I excelled at chemistry and all things science and could not deny me my calling, as he said. My dad was a little less thrilled because he did not know who the business would be passed onto since I was the only grandchild.

"Before my Grandpa Sanders died, he told my dad not to worry about it. He was sure in time he would find someone suitable to pass the business onto. However he did not want me left out of the family money so he created the inheritance for me to collect when I hit 25. He died shortly after that and my dad came into control over all of that. Once I told him at my college graduation that I was gay, well you know the rest basically. Disowning me also meant taking away the inheritance. Back then he said 'Your Grandfather would not have wanted you to have this is he knew you were gay.' I wrote off the inheritance and everything else having to do with my dad back then. I was just grateful my mom stood by me. At first she was hesitant and that was when I was the most depressed but then she came to side with me and told me she was divorcing my dad and the rest is history."

Nick was truly amazed that he did not know any of this. "So, uh, how much is this inheritance anyway?" he asked him.

Greg looked up again at the ceiling. "I'm not sure how much there is these days. I don't know if my dad dipped into it or not. I always had a feeling he was hoping he might get remarried someday and have another child that would be worthy of the inheritance."

Nick could hear the hurt in his voice. He had no idea how deep down the hurt was that his father caused him emotionally. "He hasn't gotten remarried, has he?"

"Mom says no." He chuckled sadly. "She always prayed he would come around someday. Looks like she might have gotten her wish." He turned on his side to face Nick. His eyes showed the hurt that was also in his voice.

"Do you think he really means it? Do you think he really wants to make things right?" Greg asked him, seeking some sort of reassurance and advice.

Nick shrugged. "Maybe. It took my family sometime to come around. Maybe it took him really hearing that you were sick with the cancer to realize he might lose you, lose that chance to seek forgiveness. Perhaps he had felt guilty all these years about how he treated you but just has not been able to say it."

"They why did he say those things on the phone to me?" Greg was having trouble holding back tears.

"I do not think he was expecting you to answer. I mean it was your mom's cell phone you picked up. You caught him off guard and he…"

"Just said what was truly on his mind," Greg finished for him.

"Greg, he said he was trying. I mean if he is seeing a doctor about his feelings, that says something, doesn't it?" Nick asked. He brushed a tear away from his partner's cheek.

"What if it's just a lie?"

"Why lie about something like that?" Nick countered.

"I dunno. I just hate him," he sighed and closed his eyes in defeat.

Nick wanted him to feel better. He hated seeing him torn up about this. "Was he a good father to you prior to him knowing you were gay?"

Greg gazed at him with his red-rimmed eyes. "I guess so."

"Don't you think he could be that again? That he might remember those times and realize you are still the same person?" Nick said to make him think.

He frowned. "Maybe."

"Maybe," Nick mimicked him. Greg glared at him.

"Come here," Nick offered. Greg scooted closer to him so that he could wrap his arms around him. Greg laid his head in the little crook in Nick's neck.

"I love you, Greg and no matter what happens I will be with you. I just wish all this was not happening all at once. It's not fair. You have so much to deal with just with the cancer alone."

"Knowing you are here with me will get me through all of this," he said. He burrowed his head further to take in Nick's scent.

Nick gasped when he suddenly felt his neck being sucked on. "You little sneak," he laughed and swatted his lover's butt. "Ouch," Greg said as he lifted his head and glared at Nick.

"Come on. Let's get up and get some protein."

"I had my protein a few minutes ago," Greg said, giving him a crooked smirk.

Nick swatted his perfect butt again. "Hey now!" Greg whined.

"You nut. No wonder I love you. I mean real food. Come on, up!"

Greg pouted but got up anyway. He was hungry.

* * *

While they ate, the subject of Greg's father never came up which made him very happy. He wanted to eat in peace before dealing with that situation again.

He moved over to the couch and sat down while Nick helped his mother clean up the dishes. "You know, when you're all better don't think your going to be all pampered like you've been the last two months," Nick said to him.

Greg laughed. "I have no intention of being pampered like that. I know you won't be as nice to me then."

"Nice? I'm always nice to you," Nick scowled. Greg just smirked.

"Greg, have you thought about your father's offer?" His mother asked him, breaking the jovial mood.

He sighed and then asked. "How much do you suppose is in this inheritance these days?"

"Well it should be the full amount unless, well unless he tapped into it, which he could have done," she said.

Nick was dying to know just how much money they were talking about. Greg never looked like he came from money and he never said anything about it.

"Do you think he would have?" Greg asked her.

"I have not heard of him or the companies having financial problems. I made out well enough in the divorce. No, I do not think so." She could see him still contemplating it. "It's rightfully yours. Don't think of it as a gift from your father. It's your right to have it. Your grandfather wanted you to have it. You loved him, didn't you?"

Greg looked surprised at his mother. "Yeah of course I did. I know he loved me too."

She chuckled. "All your grandparents loved you. You were a charmer even back then. Took after your Papa Olaf, you did," she smiled brightly.

"I miss them. I wish they were still with us," he said somberly.

"I know, honey. I miss them too. But I am sure they are looking down on you, protecting you. I'm sure they don't want you to join them so soon, though," she said with a loving smile.

He smiled sadly. "No, I'm sure they don't and I don't have any intentions of joining them soon."

"Well, I for one, am glad to hear that," Nick said as he sat next to him and gave him a warm hug.

They ended up spending the rest of the evening watching movies and playing games. When they ended up back in bed, Nick's curiosity was still getting the best of him. He wrapped his arms around Greg as he lay with his back against Nick's chest.

"So how rich are you going to be if you take your inheritance?" He asked him as he nuzzled his neck.

"What? Do I have to worry about a gold digger boyfriend now?" He chuckled.

"No! No, I am just curious that's all." He heard Greg sigh.

"If I remember correctly Gramps said I would get around ten million dollars."

Nick sprung up. "What? You're joking!"

Greg turned around and looked at his partner's wide eyes. "No, I'm not and listen if I take it no one else can know. I don't want people to treat me differently," he said seriously.

Nick's mouth was hanging open still in disbelief. "My boyfriend is a millionaire."

"See this is why I was perfectly fine not taking it," he moaned and then turned away from him again. "I'm not taking it."

Nick felt bad about how he reacted. He laid his hand on Greg's shoulder. "No, you deserve to have it. You are the only Sanders. Your grandfather wanted you to have it. You're father was wrong in keeping it from you in the first place. It's not going to change you, is it?"

"No, except for not having to worry about bills anymore," he said.

"You can get a bigger place," Nick suggested.

"I thought I was going to move in with you once I was well enough again?"

"Yeah, but my place is still pretty small. We could find a new home together, maybe with a pool," he suggested.

Greg turned his head a bit to look at him. "Look at you spending my money already," he said with a serious tone.

"It's not like that. I was…"

Greg busted out laughing. "I'm just messing with you."

Nick frowned. "What about the money?"  
"Uh well no that is true. I mean teasing you about spending it. My money will be your money too," he told him.

"No, you spend it how you want to. And I won't tell anyone. I don't want some psycho going after my millionaire boyfriend anyway," Nick said as he wrapped his arms around him again.

"Good. Just as long as you treat me the same."

"All I want right now if for your cancer to be gone. Nothing else matters but your well-being."

"Yeah, well me too," he replied quietly. That's all he cared about too when it came down to it. He just wanted to feel normal again and not have to worry about his disease.


	9. Forgiveness 9

Greg sat nervously waiting for his dad to arrive. He played with the fork, tapping it on the table. It was his idea to meet alone with his dad at a local restaurant for breakfast. Nick was totally against it but Greg insisted he would be okay, that he could handle his father.

He pulled down on the brim of his hat, still feeling a little self-conscious about his nearly baldhead in public. He saw his father walk in and he tensed up immediately. He came in wearing a dark blue suit with a light blue shirt and blue striped tie to match. He reminded Greg of his younger days when his dad headed off to work.

He came up to the table when he saw his son. "Greg, I hope you did not have to wait long," he said to him as he slid into the booth across from him.

"No, I have not been waiting long. I was just about to order something to eat," he told him, not meeting his eyes, though.

His father recognized the nervousness in his son by the way he was shaking his foot under the table. "Go ahead and order if you want to."

"Thanks," Greg said. He already knew what he was going to have since he had been there numerous times before.

"So, uh, how is the chemotherapy going?" his father asked on the side of caution, to start the conversation.

Greg turned his eyes to glare at him. "I guess you did not hear mom yesterday when she said I had just come back from the hospital due to complications from it," he said snarkily.

His father chewed on his bottom lip. "I'm trying to be nice here, Greg."

"Yeah, well eleven years of not being nice to me or basically acting like I no longer existed have given me a complex, sorry," he said sarcastically.

The waitress came over to break up the tension that came over the two. She took their orders and then left them in silence.

Daniel Sanders was the first to speak again. "You know your Grandma Sanders died from lung cancer before you were hardly a year old. I saw her go through treatments. Of course back then, they did not have the advancements they have now."

Greg nodded. "Yeah, we had to mention that there was a family history of it. I had forgot, Mom reminded me."

"So, what does the doctor say? Is the chemo working?" His father asked with genuine concern.

He studied his father a moment to read if he really cared or not. He decided he did. "He seems to say it is working. I have less cancer cells but less blood cells too. Yesterday was my second blood transfusion."

"Are you eating properly? You need proteins," Dan Sanders said to him. He earned a small chuckle from Greg.

"Now you should like Mom."

His father smiled a little. "Well, that's what parents do."

Greg's resentment flared a bit again. "Funny now, how you only care when your kid might be dying."

His father sighed heavily. "Okay, I am sorry. I am a horrible father. I guess the twenty some years I spent supporting you and loving you don't count for anything."

"Hmm, well let me think. Were you really there when I needed you most? Um, where were you when I was in the hospital from the lab explosion? Oh yeah, nowhere near me. Or when I was nearly beaten to death? Again, nowhere to be seen. What made you really come around this time, Dad?" He asked angrily.

The waitress approached carefully, asking if everything was all right. She looked at Greg, as she knew him from previous visits and placed his food down.

He looked up apologetically. "Yeah, sorry. Thanks," he said as she placed his father's plate down. His father waited until she walked away before saying something.

"Perhaps this was a mistake to try to talk to you. My attempts to make things better seem to be futile," his father said sadly.

Greg thought for a moment. He was going to test his father. "Do you really accept the fact that I am going to spend the rest of my life loving a man? Can you really handle that knowledge?"

Dan Sanders studied his son a moment. He had changed a lot over the years. Matured in looks and in smarts. Of course he had always been very smart and made mostly good decisions. His father use to believe being gay was a choice a person made, but after speaking with his psychologist, he learned it was a genetic thing. He knew his son never really acted different. He use to be close to Greg and he missed it over the recent years.

"I deeply regret not being there for you during those times. I have no good excuses for cutting you out of my life for the past eleven years. I was ignorant and foolish. I've missed you, though. I reacted harshly, perhaps defensively last week on the phone with you. I was not expecting you to answer that phone.

"I am learning to accept that you are gay. I assume the man who rushed to your side yesterday is your boyfriend?"

Greg's tension eased a bit. "Yes, his name is Nick. I've known him ever since I started at the crime lab. We work together."

His father nodded slowly. "How long have you been a couple?"

"Almost three years now," he said, trying to read his dad's reactions. He seemed surprised.

"So, that's longer than I imagined. It's serious then?"

"I'd say so," Greg smiled.

"You're happy then?"

"With him, yes. Very. He'd do just about anything for me. I love him." He felt better being able to talk openly to him about his feelings for Nick.

"Well, being happy is all that really matters and well good health," he father said to him.

The mention of good health sobered up Greg's mood. "Yeah well the second part of that isn't going as well right now."

"Yes, I know. So will you take the money now?" His father asked him.

Greg looked up at him after playing with his food. "Did you dip into it when you needed to?" He asked with some spite.

His father frowned. "No, I have not touched it."

"So I guess since you did not get remarried and have your replacement child, I might as well have it." Greg shrugged. He knew he was being an asshole but eleven years of being cut out of his life was not easy to get over. Plus now he was feeling a bit nauseous and did not care what he said, he just wanted to be out of there.

"You're not being fair. I thought we were making progress and now you are giving me attitude again. What do you want from me?" His father asked, feeling defeated.

Greg lowered his head and shook it apology. "I'm sorry. I just…" Suddenly his stomach lurched. He pardoned himself and got up quickly. His father watched startled as he ran off to the back where the restrooms were.

Greg ran into a stall and closed the door before throwing up everything he just ate plus anything else he had in his stomach. He heaved over the toilet, cursing himself because he forgot to take his anti-nausea medication the last two days because he was stressed out about his dad and then the unexpected trip to the hospital.

He leaned against the wall and wrapped his arm around his stomach. It ached from his retching. He was sick of dealing with his cancer. He was tired of the chemo side effects. He was just tired. He just wanted it to be all over. He crouched down and tried to hold back tears as his frustrations overwhelmed him.

He heard the door open to the restroom and his name called out a few minutes later. It was his dad. "Greg? Are you okay? You've been in here a while."

His dad looked and saw only one stall occupied. He walked over to it. "Greg?"

"Give me a moment," he replied quickly as he tried to pull himself back together.

Dan Sanders could tell something was not right with him. He still knew his son well enough to know when he was upset. He waited until he opened the stall door and came out. He saw that his eyes were rimmed red and that he was pale now.

Greg looked at his dad, sheepishly. "Sorry. I got sick. I forgot to take my meds the last two days. Too much on my mind."

"You're chemo drugs? That's not good for you," he said out of concern.

Greg felt for the first time that he really cared about his well-being. "Not my chemo stuff, my anti-nausea meds. I take them so I don't do what I just did because the chemo ones mess me up bad." He went over to the sink and rinsed his face and hands off. He raised his head and saw his reflection in the mirror. Behind him stood his dad.

"I know, I look like hell," he sighed.

"You're dealing with cancer. You're not going to look great anyways. Remember, I saw my mother go through it and die from it," his father told him.

"I don't want to die from it," Greg said softly, suddenly feeling vulnerable.

His father tentatively reached out and put his hand on his son's shoulder. Greg stared back at his reflection. "You're not going to die from it."

Greg felt his eyes tearing up again. "You don't know for sure. The doctor said once you have cancer, even if it goes into remission, it can always come back."

"That's true but you have to be positive and not think the worse."

Greg closed his eyes. "I know. I know but it's still scary."

"Well now you will have access to your inheritance so you can seek better health care if you feel you are not getting the best," Dan Sanders said. His son turned around and looked him in the eyes.

His father was slightly taller than him. "Is that why you chose to do this now? You want to make sure I can get the best treatment?"

"It's part of the reason, but mostly as I told you earlier, I miss you. I've been lonely and missing the only family I really have left, the family I alienated by my ignorance. I wanted to find a way to get over my fears and face the problems I caused."

"So does this mean you want to try and get back on Mom's good side too?" He asked, curiously.

"I've dated but never met a woman who can compare to your mother," he said honestly and smiled.

"I underestimated her. She has been amazing and my rock the last couple of months. I do not know what I would have done without her for the first month and a half after I was diagnosed," Greg admitted.

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Someone came into the restroom. They realized they should probably go back to their table. His father noticed that Greg seemed to be walking back cautiously.

"Are you sure you're feeling well enough?"

Greg slid into their booth. "I'm feeling a bit worn out and slightly light headed."

"Well you just threw up anything you probably had in you. Did you drive here?" Greg nodded. "Let me drive you home. We can pick up your car later on when you are rested," he offered.

"Nah, I'll be okay," Greg insisted.

"Please Greg. You don't want to end up passing out behind the wheel. I promise I don't bite," he smirked.

Greg was starting to recognize the father he knew before he told him he was gay. Maybe there was hope for a rekindled relationship after all. "Okay, you can drive me home."

"Good. Let me get the bill here and we'll go out to my car."

They got in his father's rental car. "Did Mom tell you where I lived? Is that how you found me yesterday?" Greg asked.

"She told me sometime ago, actually, hoping I would do what I am doing now. I'm sorry it took me eleven years and the fact that you have cancer for me to finally open my eyes up. I know I can't make up for those years and those horrible things I said but I appreciate being given a chance," he said as he was driving.

"Well then you have to understand if I get defensive still at times. It's not easy to forget those few moments we have spoken in the last few years and the things you said. It still hurts," he admitted to his dad.

His father stared out at the road as he drove. "I know. I know," he said reflectively.

They were both quiet for a while before Greg noticed they were not heading to his place.

"Uh, where are you taking me?" He asked cautiously.

"I just want to show you something. We'll be there soon."

Greg watched as they were going through the downtown area, near his work. His dad stopped the car in front of a construction site.

"Um, am I being fitted for a pair of cement galoshes?" He asked as he saw a cement truck pouring foundation.

His father laughed heartily. "No, but I see you really do know your Vegas history."

Greg grinned. "Yeah, I do. So what is this place?"

"Look at the sign there," he said as he pointed to a sign saying what the building was.

Greg still did not get it. "What am I looking for?"

His father sighed. "The S&S Industries? This is one of our buildings going up."

"Oohh…wait, it is Sanders and Son, right? The S&S? But I'm not in the business and still have no intentions of it," he said slowly.

"I understand that. I just wanted to show you our newest one going up here. Did you even realize we have two existing here in Vegas?" His father asked.

"No, I didn't. So that is part of the reason you are here then, for this?" He said with a wave of his hand.

"Yes, sort of. I don't need to be here but since you and Monica were here I figured I'd check on the project."

"So business is okay then? I mean with the economy and all?" Greg asked.

"It's not great but we are doing okay. I just thought you'd like to see something of the family business here."

"Yeah cool. Now can we go to my place?"

"Yes, we can," his father smiled. "So since I've really been out of touch with your life, how do you like being a CSI now, instead of the lab?"

"It's great. I'm a level three now. It feels so much better knowing you found the key piece of evidence that puts a killer away. I mean in the lab I had that chance sort of but it's nice to get out of the office, you know?" He told him.

"Yeah, I can understand that being an office bound person most of the time. I, uh, remember hearing about that civil trial. I heard they settled it," he said, wondering more about that.

Greg's face went down. "I rather not talk about that," he said glumly.

Dan Sanders got the feeling that was a thing his son did not approve of. "I'm sorry."

Greg was staring out the window. He still felt some guilt about Demetrius James' death and the settlement that made him look guilty to the public.

His father glanced at him and could see that his mood had darkened. It was definitely a sore spot with him. He was realizing how much he had really missed out on in his son's life. He needed to make it up to him.

* * *

**A/N- This is getting closer to the end of the story. Only a couple more chapters left. Thanks again for all the lovely reviews. You all rock!**


	10. Getting Easier 10

_A/N- Well there is only one chapter left after this one. I'm glad everyone is enjoying the story so far. Thanks again for everyone's wonderful reviews. I really appreciate all of you. :)_

* * *

Dan Sanders pulled his car up in front of Greg's apartment building. "So, if you give me your account information I can have the money transferred over. Unless you want to put it into a savings account, that's up to you," his father said to him out of the blue.

Greg looked startled. "Oh. Yeah, um, I do have a savings account that I've almost bled dry. Probably best to put it in there for now. It will help a lot right now."

"Well, that is what I was thinking even though I really had no right to keep it from you in the first place," he said apologetically again.

"What's done is done, Dad. You're trying now and I guess I do appreciate it."

"Thanks. Well you're here now. Go get some rest," his father said.

"Why don't you come in for a few minutes? I'd like to formally introduce you to Nick, if you do not mind?" Greg decided to see if he would go for it or if it was too soon for that step yet.

His father was surprised by his request. "You're sure he won't try to cause me any harm. He seemed damned pissed yesterday."

Greg laughed. "I'll go in first and explain you come in peace." He smirked as he got out of the car. He was amazed at how nice it felt to have a decent conversation with his father again. He missed their friendship. He just hoped his dad would not suddenly change his mind and go back to his old beliefs.

He walked inside his door and saw Nick on the couch with his mom playing video games that alone amused him.

"Hey! You're back. How did it go?" Nick asked as he got up to give Greg a hug. It was then he noticed Mr. Sanders behind him a couple feet. Nick took a step back and then gazed at Greg and whispered. "What's he doing here?"

Greg swallowed hard. "I wanted to formally introduce you to Daniel Sanders, my father."

His father stepped further into the room and held out his hand to Nick. "Nice to meet you."

Nick looked to Greg quickly to check if he was for real. He gave him a half smile and nodded.

Nick shook his hand tentatively. "Mr. Sanders," was all he said. He still showed his disapproval of how he treated Greg in his hard eyes.

Greg went over to the kitchen to take the pills he had skipped the last few days. His mother looked at him with questioning in her eyes.

"I have not taken my _Kytril__*_ in the last two days. I got sick at the restaurant," he told her.

"Greg, did you not listen to your doctor yesterday?" She scolded him.

He sighed and took the pills down with some juice. "I know. I was preoccupied. I'm taking them now, okay?" He said grumpily and went to sit down on the recliner.

Still frowning she stood up and walked over to her ex-husband. "So I gather you made good on trying to make things right with your son?" She asked in an accusing tone.

He looked over her shoulder at Greg, who shrugged his shoulders. Greg was not going to let him get off that easily.

"Yes, we have discussed things and come to an understanding of each other. I told him I've missed my family and I mean it."

Nick went over to Greg and made a point of kissing him in front of his father. "You're bad, you know that," the younger man mumbled into his mouth. Nick pulled back and grinned. They both looked at Greg's dad who seemed a bit amused.

Greg playfully pushed Nick away. "Leave me alone. I'm not feeling too good. He drove me home. We'll have to get my car later on."

Nick went into concerned boyfriend mode. "Are you better now? Do you need to lie down?"

Greg shook his head. "I'm just tired. I can chill out here on the recliner for now as long as you gamers keep down the noise," he smirked at Nick, knowing he liked playing his mom because she let him win.

"Okay, but let me know if you need anything. Don't need you passing out again," he said with worry.

"Fine."

"Boys, I'm going outside for a few minutes to talk to Dan here," Monica told them.

Once they were outside, Nick leaned forward in his seat to talk to Greg. "So how did things go really? You're okay with him now?"

"Let's say we've reached an understanding. But he genuinely cares about what happens to me. He was pretty worried when I took off running to the bathroom to puke. He had apologized over and over again to me. I let him know how hurt I was but he is trying and I have to give him that. I did say I would not make it too easy for him. That little kiss was smooth on your behalf. He did not seem too bothered by it.

"He asked about you. We talked about work and he showed me a new building being built right here in Vegas by S&S Industries, that's his one company," he told him.

"What about the money?" Nick asked.

"You and the money…. are you sure you just aren't after me for my money?" Greg mocked him.

Nick threw a pillow at him. "No, but you have to admit it would be shocking if you just suddenly heard I was a millionaire."

"I guess but being from Texas and all the oil down there I would not be too surprised. Anyway, I have to give him my account info before he leaves…for my savings account," Greg remembered.

"Wow, Greg Sanders will have more money to buy some new ugly shirts," his boyfriend smirked.

"Hey now! I think my taste in shirts has improved immensely over the years," he said defensively.

"Okay, so seriously what are your plans now?"

"My plans are to wait and see what the cancer does to me," he said seriously.

Nick frowned. "You're going to be fine, so stop thinking you won't be." He watched Greg sulk. He leaned forward and grabbed his arms and pulled him over to the couch.

"Hey!" He whined as Nick wrapped his arms around him. But then he ended up snuggling against Nick's chest and feeling his love. "Do you think this has brought us closer together than we ever were before?" he asked as he looked up at his Texan.

Nick smiled down at him. "Definitely."

Greg shifted on the couch so he was stretched across it, with his head in Nick's lap. "So maybe a couple good things came out of me getting it."

"What's the other thing?" Nick asked him.

The big brown eyes gazed up at him. "Getting my dad back."

"Ahh, yes. Of course." He looked down fondly at him as he yawned. "Why don't you get some sleep?"

"Okay," he said as he closed his eyes.

Nick laughed. "Not on me, though. Why not in the bedroom, like normal people."

Greg pouted a little but got up and stalked off to his room. "Give my dad my account number for me."

"I'll do that and be in later on," he yelled after him. He wanted a chance to speak with Greg's father alone anyway.

A few minutes later the two elder Sanders walked in again. "Where's Greg?" His mother asked Nick.

"He went to take a nap. I was hoping I could talk to you alone, Mr. Sanders," Nick said to him.

His ex-wife just read him the riot act on vowing not to hurt his son again. He had a feeling Nick was going to do the same.

"Sure, outside again then?" he asked.

"Fine with me," Nick responded and followed the older looking version of Greg out the door.

"So I suppose you want to warn me not to ever hurt Greg again or I will have you after my head," Daniel Sanders said with the oddly familiar smirk.

A smirk formed on Nick's face. "Well, I see where Greg gets his smarts from. Yes, which was pretty much what I was going to tell you. I've seen first hand, now what you did to him or said to him really hurt him. Anytime I asked about his father he would turn pale and just say he had no father at first. Eventually he told me everything and cried about it. I'd never really seen him get emotional like that before. The only other times since then I've seen him that upset is when he accidentally killed that kid and now with the cancer. He seemed to believe you have turned over a new leaf. I really hope you do not break his heart again."

"I admire how you are standing up for him. I'm glad he has someone who cares so much. I can assure you I have no intention of hurting my son again. I'm learning to accept who he chooses to be with in life, meaning a man. And now being able to get to know you and see clearly that you care about him."

"I love him," Nick clarified.

Daniel Sanders made a small smile. "I can see that and I also could see that he loves you. I just want to try to make up for lost time before it is too late."

"Okay. I understand. Now he told me to give you his account number. Let me go get it and write it down for you." They went back inside where Nick wrote the information down for him.

"Can I see if he is still awake?" He asked them.

"Sure," his mother said and pointed towards his door.

He walked over and opened the door quietly. He saw his son curled up in bed. The hat was gone, revealing the closely shaved head to hide the hair loss. Despite that and the slightly gaunt face, he looked so much like the boy he use to walk in on years before and watch sleep.

He decided not to wake him and backed out. Nick looked at him when he came back out. "He was asleep. I did not want to wake him. Tell him I'll be in touch." He said goodbye to Nick and then his ex-wife walked with him out the door.

Nick was glad Greg had his father back in his life now. One complication was over but the worst one still loomed overhead.

* * *

He sat nervously in his doctor's office. Nick got called into work to pull a double. His mother waited out in the main room. Dr. Rob was looking over his latest test results.

Over a week had gone by since he made up with his father. His doctor called him in for his latest results on the cancer cells in his body.

"So, is it good or bad?" He asked impatiently. Dr. Rob smiled at him. "I think next month when we run these tests again, you will be cancer free."

Greg's eyes opened wide in excitement. "Really?"

His doctor nodded. "Yes. The count is very low compared to the last time so you are almost in complete remission."

Greg let out a happy sigh. "Wow! I can't believe it."

"Well just make sure you keep up with taking your chemo injections until I tell you otherwise. Now, I think if you feel up to it, you can go back to work, probably light duty though. I don't want you wearing yourself down too much but your blood cell count is a lot better this week from last week's. So I guess you've been eating more of what I told you."

"Yes, I have. I guess I was just so worried for so long that I would not get rid of it," he told him.

"Well there was no reason to think it would not work. You had a 60% chance of working through this."

"I guess recently I've just had a string of things going wrong and I thought this would go that way too."

"It has not. So why don't you go tell your mom because I am sure she is eager to know. I'll see you in a couple of weeks unless you need me for something."

Greg walked out of the office after saying goodbye to the doctor. He smiled at his mom. "I'm doing better. He thinks by next month I will be in remission."

"Oh sweetie, that is wonderful!" She gave him a big hug.

"I know. I'm so happy. Plus he said if I want to go back to work, I probably can but just light duty."

"I'm sure Nick will be thrilled to have you back at work with him. Will you finally tell your co-workers the truth now?"

"Yes, I will. I mean they would be able to tell by looking at me that I have been sick," he admitted.

"They'll be happy to see you back I'm sure. Let's go home now and celebrate," she said to him.

They were already at home when Nick called Greg. He had told Greg he would call him once he was freed up.

"So what's the news? Tell me!" Nick asked eagerly.

"Dr. Rob thinks by next month I'll be cancer free."

"That's fabulous, Greg. Can I tell Catherine the news?"

"Sure. As a matter of fact he thinks I can go back to work if I want to, just light duty though. So ask her if that is okay and she can call me," he told him.

"Yeah, sure. That's great. Everyone was starting to think you were not coming back," Nick said.

"Well I am. When do you get to come home? Mom wants to take us out to eat and celebrate."

Nick informed him he would be home soon and he could not wait to celebrate the good news. He could tell by the excitement in his boyfriend's voice that he was feeling better already.

*****

Three days later Greg was riding in with Nick to the Crime Lab. He was going to make his first official reappearance in almost 3 months. He felt nervous for some reason. He knew Catherine had told the others he was coming back but she had not told them the truth. She was leaving that up to Greg.

As they pulled into the parking garage, he said to Nick, "It feels like I have not been here in years."

"Well you've been away for longer than ever before so that is probably why. So are you ready to head in?" He asked him.

Greg subconsciously adjusted the CSI cap he wore on his head to hide his head. "Yeah, let's go."

Nick walked in ahead of him, partially shielding him from any possible curious eyes. He knew he still looked thinner than normal but his overall appearance had greatly improved since he first saw him with the cancer.

They headed to Catherine's office first. "Greg!" she exclaimed when she saw him and gave him a hug. "So good to see you here. You look better."

He blushed slightly. "Thanks, I feel better."

"So how do you want to do this, one by one or I can call everyone into the break room and you can tell them all in one shot," she offered.

He thought about it a moment. "How about all at once. Then I can get it over with and be put to work because setting at home for all this time, you can only do so much playing games, watching TV and reading," he grinned.

"I bet. Nick said you kick his ass at all the video games now," she smirked at him.

"Ha, so you admit it to her but not to me. You're so gonna get it," he teased Nick.

Catherine laughed. "I'll get everyone together in the break room. I'll give you a call when we are ready."

"You feeling okay?" Nick asked him as he noticed he seemed jittery waiting on the call from Catherine.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. I'm just nervous about how everyone will react," he told him.

"You have no reason to worry. Everyone here cares about you so they will be happy to see you are beating it," Nick told him. His phone rang and he picked it up.

"Okay, we'll be there in a moment." Nick closed his phone. "Let's go," he said to Greg.

Everyone was gathered in the break room thinking they were there for a meeting of some sort. Wendy saw Nick approaching and then saw Greg behind him. "Greg, you're back," she exclaimed. She walked up to him and gave him a hug. The other's gathered around.

Wendy noticed he was thinner looking then before he left. "How is your mom doing? You look a little unwell yourself. Is everything okay?"

He looked at her and then at all the others who were welcoming him back.

"Yeah Greg, you don't look so good," Riley said to him.

"Yeah about that. I have not been out the last few months because of my Mom's health. On the contrary, it's been my health and my mom and Nick have been taking care of me. I have cancer." He watched, as everyone looked shocked.

"Oh you poor thing!" Mandy exclaimed.

"Well, I'm here now to say that I am going to be okay. So I'm going to be able to return to work starting tonight actually, light duty though as I am still going through chemo and get fatigued easily." He heard Hodges snort a moment and he saw several other pairs of eyes suddenly glare at the Trace Lab tech. He looked away suddenly and rubbed his nose. Greg smirked.

Everyone else started bombarding him with a bunch of questions about his cancer to his treatment, to how he was currently feeling. After about fifteen minutes everyone had their curiosity answered and went back to work. Nick stayed with him as they went to the locker room.

"So you're going to be okay, right?"

"Yes, and if not I'll lie down in the break room. All I'm doing is menial lab work or paperwork anyway. You try not to get shot or kidnapped, okay? Because I still need you around," he said, partially serious.

Nick waved his hand at him with a smile. "Of course you do! I'll see you later on then. Take care." He gave him a quick kiss before he left him behind in the lab.

Hours later Nick found him yawning, sitting on a bench in the locker room. Greg looked up and sighed. "I'm driving myself tomorrow. I don't want to wait around for you. I'm tired."

"Gee, no, 'hey was your shift? How are you feeling?'" Nick pouted playfully.

"We can talk about that in the car. Let's just go now." Nick rolled his eyes at him.

"I gather your first day was a bit long," Nick said to him as they settled in his truck.

"Yeah. I'm not use to being up all night again. I told Catherine I might need another few days to readjust my body clock," Greg told him and then yawned again.

"So I guess it was uneventful overall then," Nick guessed.

"Yep, pretty much. What about you?" Nick ended up telling him about the hit and run case he had that had kept him busy all night. Things were starting to feel back to normal again.

* * *

_*Kytril_ is a real drug used for anti-nausea in patients undergoing chemotherapy.


	11. At Last 11

**A/N-Well here is the final chapter. Many thanks for all the reviews _Queen of the Universe, 101spacemonkey, Lily G_ and the others that have commented. Hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did writing it. Not sure when I will get another fic out. I have a lot of ideas but nothing that I have set my heart on yet. Many thanks again. **

* * *

Over the next few weeks since Greg was feeling well enough to work again, his mother headed back to California. His father kept in communication with him through the phone and email, making all attempts to become part of his son's life again.

After his mother went back to California, he spent most of his time at Nick's again since it was the larger place.

He was growing use to being in the lab again but was starting to feel the itch to be back out in the field. But he had to wait on his doctor to give him the go ahead for more strenuous work.

Now he sat with Nick in Doctor Rob's office waiting to hear if he was finally cancer free or not.

Nick had never been there with him when he was waiting on test results. He saw all his nerves on the surface; the moving leg, the nervous chatter, and the expectant look in his eyes. He wondered what he was like the first time he heard the news. He could imagine all that nervous energy coming to a complete stop and the look in his eyes would have probably broke his heart. But now he was here for him when hopefully he was getting good news.

Dr. Rob came through the door and sat behind his desk with a folder in hand. "Good morning you two. I have the results of your latest blood tests and scans." He looked through the papers, seeming to read what they revealed to him. He looked up from them to look at Greg.

"Well Greg, it looks like you can stop the chemotherapy. Looks like you are rid of the cancer completely now. You are in remission."

Greg felt like an elephant had been lifted off his chest. "Thank God!" he sighed happily. Nick had reached over and squeezed his hand.

"Now the thing is you will want to come in if you are feeling really sick or have abdominal pains again in the future. There is always a chance the cancer could come back and we want to be able to catch it soon enough like we did this time. I don't want you to be paranoid about it coming back though. Many times people remain cancer free for the rest of their lives. But you just need to be aware of the chance," his doctor told him.

Greg nodded that he understood. "So I can just flat out stop taking all of it?"

"I want you to finish the few remaining doses you have left, which I believe is another few days but then you are done. Now because you had intestinal cancer, I want you to keep the diet changes that you've been doing since you have seen me. Stay away from too many fatty foods. Aside from that you are well on your way to being back to normal.

"Also just be aware the chemo side effects can carry on for a while even after you have stopped taking the drugs. So it might be a couple more months before you really look and feel completely normal. If you have any questions, you know how to reach me. Otherwise you are free to go."

"Thank you. Thank you so much. I'll do everything you say. I want to avoid having to go through this again if possible." Greg stood up and shook the doctor's hand. Nick did the same.

"Enjoy your life, Greg. You deserve it," Dr. Rob told him with a smile.

When they got out into the parking lot, Greg pumped his fists and yelled, "yay!" Nick laughed and gave him a quick hug.

"So what do you want to do now?" Nick asked him.

"Go home and have a personal celebration."

"It figures you would say something like that. How about we go out to eat first? I am starving," Nick said to him.

"Fine, we'll go out to eat first," he replied with slight sigh but still smiling.

After they had a filling lunch and Greg had called everyone to tell them the good news, Greg went to the bedroom and laid down on top of the bed. Nick had to return a call to one of his sisters. By the time he walked into the bedroom, his partner was sound asleep. He silently chuckled to himself.

He laid down on the bed quietly and gazed at the younger man. "So much for that celebration," he whispered. He gave him a small peck on the head in which the other man slightly shifted into a more comfortable position. Nick smiled and then snuggled closer to him and closed his eyes himself.

He woke up a couple hours later to find himself in the same position. Greg was still sleeping. He knew the doctor was right in saying that it would be sometime yet before he was back to his normal energy level.

He saw his eyes flutter open. He smiled as those beautiful eyes opened and turned to him.

Greg smiled back at him. Then he suddenly realized he had fallen asleep. He sat up real fast. "Crap! I fell asleep, didn't I?" He turned and looked at the clock. "Oh my God! I am so sorry Nick," he said when he realized he had been asleep for several hours.

Nick laid his hand on his chest and eased him back down. "It's okay, G. You're not 100% yet. The doc said you would still fatigue for a while. I slept some too, so no harm done." He gently laid his lips onto his lovers'. He felt the younger man relax under him. He slid his hand under his shirt and traced his finger over the now familiar scar on his abdomen. He knew it made Greg react positively and he moaned into his mouth.

Greg reached up and made to pull Nick's shirt off. Nick obliged and helped him in pulling it off. Greg marveled at his abdomen muscles. He ran his hands over them.

"Mine," he said as he started on the belt of his pants.

"Down now, tiger," Nick chuckled as he took Greg's eager hands and pinned them down to his sides. Greg pouted. Nick laughed again.

"I want to celebrate your getting better and I don't want you to do any work," he grinned.

"Humph, fine. Only if I can celebrate you afterward." Nick smirked. "Deal! Now sit up a moment so I can get your shirt off."

He obeyed and let the Texan remove his shirt. He was pushed back on his back and focused his eyes on the older man as he ran his hands down his bare chest to his waistband.

Nick's hands worked on his belt and pants buttons while his hot mouth clamped down on his right nipple. The body beneath him arched in pleasure. He left a wet trail to the other nipple as his hands finally undid his pants.

He removed his mouth a moment to pull his partner's pants all the way off along with his boxers, leaving him completely naked. He tried waking up the soft cock beneath him with his hand but he knew the chemo had won.

His cock wanted to be freed from its confines.

"Come on, I want you in me now!" Greg groaned. Nick grinned and stripped the remaining clothes off. He leaned over to grab the lube and a condom out of the nightstand drawer.

He lubed up a finger and pushed into the tight hole. He worked on stretching his loved one so he would be ready for him.

Greg growled impatiently until he felt Nick's girth enter him. Nick started a rhythm that drove his lover crazy. He crushed his mouth onto the parted lips below him and rode the wave until he saw stars and collapsed onto Greg, panting.

"I love you," Greg said as he wrapped his arms around him.

"I love you too," he replied as he pulled out and slid over to his side.

"I've been thinking, now that my outlook is good, I think we should buy a new, bigger house together," Greg said to him after a few minutes.

Nick looked surprised. "Really? You mean you would be willing to get rid of your apartment finally?"

Greg nodded. "I'm ready to truly commit to us if you are."

Nick ran his finger along Greg's jaw line. "I know for sure now that you are the only one for me. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I never want to be shut out of your life again. If you can promise that, I am ready to go house hunting," he grinned.

"I won't hold back anything from you ever again. That was the biggest mistake I ever made with you. I will not shut you out again."

"That's good to hear," Nick smiled and gave him a kiss.

"So where should we look and how big should we go?" Greg asked him as he ran circles with his index finger over his abs.

"Well not too much bigger than my current place. But something newer and of course with a pool would be enough for me."

"Sounds good to me. Oh, did I tell you my dad is going to start an automatic deposit into my account of additional funds?" Greg told him.

"Why? I thought you had the full inheritance now?"

"I do, but it turns out he still feels really guilty. So as of this week I am getting a monthly influx of funds in the tune of $1000," he said with excited eyes.

"Wow! Where is it coming from?" Nick asked, curiously.

"His own money he earns. I mean he is giving up some of his millions to me," he laughed, thinking it was funny how little money he was getting compared to his dad's income.

"Well he did not have to give you any of it. I mean you did not pick up the family business or take interest in it. I think it is pretty nice of him," Nick shrugged.

Greg frowned a bit. "I guess you are right. He's trying to make an effort but I do not really need the money. It's like he's trying to buy my love now."

"What do you want from him then? He does not live here. He's trying to keep in touch with you more now," Nick said to him.

The younger man sighed. "I know, he is. I guess I'm still bitter about him not being around during the previous times I really needed him. I know I need to let it go eventually and I will."

"I know you will. You've always been a very forgiving person, one of the reasons I love you." He kissed him again.

"Hmmm, I'm not always so nice though," he said as he smirked at him.

Nick narrowed his eyes at him, wondering what he had planned. He was about to find out.

Greg leaned into him and started nibbling on his ear. "Ahh, but that is still nice." Suddenly Nick felt his nipple being pinched, hard.

"Oww!" he yelled.

"See not so nice now," Greg mumbled before he locked his mouth on the Texan's neck and sucked on one particular spot.

"Ahh, okay not so nice," Nick groaned as he knew he was going to have to wear a high neck shirt tomorrow to hide the mark Greg was going to leave.

He felt the younger man grind his hips against him. He felt himself getting hard again. "You know personally, I love your bad side," he told him. He earned an adorable mischievous smile from his mate.

"I know you do," he smirked and then went back to satisfying the man he loved.

* * *

Greg walked into Catherine's office. She looked up at him and smiled. "Hey Greg. What can I do for you?"

He adjusted his cap and then spoke up. "Hey Cath. I wanted to let you know I now have a clean bill of health from my doctor."

Her eyes lit up and she stood up and went over to give him a hug. "Oh Greg, I am so happy for you. So you are in remission then?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I am. I wanted to let you know I want to start going out in the field again."

She told him to sit down and she went back to her chair. "That's great news. But I'm going to have to ease you back in. You are probably a little rusty since you have been out a few months."

"I'll help him out," Nick said as he walked into the office and stood behind Greg's chair. He put his hands on his lover's shoulders. Greg looked up at him.

"Well I was just about to suggest that Greg be teamed up with you and you can keep an eye on him and assist him. I'm sure he would appreciate working with you again," Catherine smiled.

Greg smiled at her and then looked up at Nick again. "I sure would. That would be great."

"Well then I think you can start getting back out whenever you are ready. If you want to do that tonight, it would be fine. We are caught up in the lab work so you are not really needed there."

"Yeah, tonight would be great. Thanks a lot Catherine, I mean for everything. I know I asked a lot of you in keeping my secret for so long," he told her.

"Well I am glad it just all worked out well. I'm so happy you are well on your way to being back to good health again." She smiled at him.

"I'm happy too."

Nick walked out of the office with him to the locker room. "So you are ready to get out in the field tonight? Are you sure about that?"

Greg nodded. "Yeah, I am feeling fine tonight. I've gotten enough rest. I told you I am sick of the lab."

"I know. You know I just worry still. Just make sure you let me know if you feel drained or anything when we are out there," Nick said to her.

"I will, don't worry," Greg assured him.

Nick's cell phone buzzed. He looked at the text message that came on it. "Good, because we got ourselves a 419 out by Henderson. You ready to go?"

Greg smiled at him as he pulled his CSI vest out of his locker to put on. "I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

Nick put his arm around him. "Good, then let's go." Greg nodded and followed him out happily.


End file.
